Plan your visit
Accessibility
NEMO is designed to give everyone a fascinating and fun day out. On this page you’ll find practical information about accessibility. If you have a question, please feel free to contact us. Museum staff are also on hand to offer assistance at the museum.
Accessibility facilities
General
Service dog allowed
Personal assistant
Sensory experience
Barrier-free access and steps accompanied by ramp
Accessible building
Additional explanation
Visitors are welcome to bring a companion; NEMO doesn't offer a guide.
People with reduced mobility
Stairs with handrail
Accessible lift
Barrier-free building and passageways that are sufficiently wide
Wheelchair-friendly restroom
Mobile payment
People who are blind or partially sighted
Audio description
Accessible print (18pt. or larger)
Additional explanation
Use the app eZwayZ to navigate through the building and past exhibits. The newest exhibit (Technium, floor 2) was created with 18 pt. It will be the same on the other floors in the future.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing
Open captioning
People who require low sensory environments
Hidden disability Sunflower Keycord recognised here
Not present, not available or not allowed
Rest areas
Guide lines and floor markings
Material in Braille
Hearing loop (t-coil or headphones)
Sign language interpretation provided
Closed captioning
Low stimulus hours
Low stimulus area
Wheelchair, rollator walker or mobility scooter
NEMO is wheelchair, rollator walker and mobility scooter friendly. The museum has 1 wheelchair that you can borrow, which you can reserve by sending an email to info@e-nemo.nl.
Lifts are provided throughout the museum. In the Laboratory, one of the worktables is easily height-adjustable. Please feel free to approach a member of staff during your visit should you have any questions or need assistance.
Accessible toilets
Accessible toilets are available on all levels in NEMO, with the exception of level 3. All our accessible toilets have a free space of at least 80 cm on one side and have handrails/grab bars and specially adapted washbasins.
Carers
Visitors who are unable to access and get around NEMO independently may bring a companion along free of charge.
Guide and assistant dogs
Registered guide dogs are welcome at NEMO.
Tips for a quieter museum visit
By working with start times, NEMO spreads the number of visitors in the museum. On weekdays after 14:00 and outside school holidays it is generally quieter.
Accessible parking
For an overview of accessible parking spaces, check the website of the City of Amsterdam. The nearest parking spaces are located at:
- Kattenburgerplein
- Kalkmarkt
- Oosterdok parking
Visitors with a visual impairment
NEMO is committed to being open and accessible for vistors with a visual impairment. With this in mind, we have made various adaptations throughout NEMO, including the eZwayZ app.
Route to NEMO
Unfortunately, the route to and from NEMO is not safely accessible for visitors with a visual impairment. Our current advice therefore is for visually impaired visitors not to attempt to take this route themselves. Ask someone who is visually unimpaired to accompany you or take a taxi from the station to NEMO.
Route in NEMO
There is no fixed route through NEMO. Visitors are free to move around the museum and to choose what they want to do.
On each level in the museum there are exhibitions that invite interaction, putting different senses to work. If you are visiting the museum without a carer, please ask a member of staff which exhibitions would be most suitable for you.
The second floor has recently been completely upgraded. This means that currently the second floor is not included in the eZwayZ navigation.
Navigation app for visitors with a visual impairment
eZwayZ is an app that is designed to make indoor navigation easy for people with a visual impairment. The app guides visitors through the different floors and exhibitions at NEMO.
Below is a summary of information on how to prepare for your visit to NEMO and use the app while at NEMO. Before using the app, please read the eZwayZ instructions carefully. eZwayZ is intended as an additional aid and is not a replacement for other existing mobility aids. Using eZwayZ is at your own risk.
Preparing for your visit to NEMO
eZwayZ currently only works on an iPad or iPhone. Download the eZwayZ app in the App Store ahead of your visit to NEMO. Allow the app to access the camera on your iPad or iPhone and check out the 'Quick start’.
Using the app at NEMO
The app needs an internet connection. NEMO offers free wifi with the “NEMO Public” network.
Localisation
Start the localisation process in the app once you arrive at NEMO. Find a quiet spot in the Entrance Hall, stay in one place and hold your phone upright and vertical.
There is a white circle in the middle of the localisation screen. The phone is in the correct position when the blue circle is centred in the white circle. You should hear a sound when the localisation is complete.
Navigation
There are two ways to navigate using eZwayZ:
- Search for a location in the category list or use the search field.
- Explore the surroundings in a 360-degree view and select a location.
Once a location is selected, the route starts. The app offers different ways of helping you to find your way around the building: visual instructions, vibrations, spoken audio, sound effects or a combination of these signals. It is recommended to wear earpieces when using audio.
Image descriptions and instruction texts
Each exhibition at NEMO comes with an image description and, if applicable, an instruction text. Visitors can find out what is on display and, if it is relevant, how it works and what happens there.
These descriptions can be found under ‘Description’ in the app. This screen can be accessed in two ways:
- By pressing the 'Description' button directly.
- Upon arrival at the selected location, by going to the 'Destination reached' screen.
Select the desired information and press play. The text will be read out loud. To navigate through the text, use the 'previous sentence' and 'next sentence' buttons.
Feedback
eZwayZ is developing all the time and NEMO would like you to hear your experiences. The app includes a feedback option or email your feedback and any queries to info@e-nemo.nl. This information is collected and used to further optimize the app.
NEMO partners with the Bartiméus Fund to improve visual accessibility.