Pedestrian entrances to the Perth Cultural Centre are wide and paved along the Perth Train Station concourse, James Street, Francis Street and Beaufort Street.

PICA is located on the mid-level of the precinct.

The ramp to PICA from the upper level of the precinct has a handrail on one side and a gradient of 1:11. It is in three sections 9 and 7 metres long.

The ramp to PICA from the lower level of the precinct on James Street is 11 metres long with a guide rail on one side and a gradient of 1:10.

A ramp connects the State Library car park to PICA with gradients between 1:15 and 1:10 in 3 and 5 metre sections. There’s a guide rail on one side and a 1:13 cross slope at the top.

The main entrance to PICA is on the mid-level of the Perth Cultural Centre precinct opposite the State Library car park. Entry is through wide front gates and automatic sliding glass doors.

An alternative entry is available via the ramp into PICA Bar and through double doors leading to the PICA Hub on the ground floor. The double doors are 1.7 metres wide.

Our front desk is located on the ground floor at PICA’s entrance.

Our gallery staff can answer questions about the exhibitions and how to access the galleries, toilets or other facilities. Performance tickets can be purchased at the front desk.

Cloaking is available for free at the front desk.

Cloaking is optional for visitors, with the exception of larger items (e.g., suitcases or skateboards).

On the first floor, accessible toilets are equipped with handrails, an automatic soap dispenser and an assistance alarm. The bathroom door is manual.

Baby change facilities are available in the accessible toilet on the first floor.

On the ground floor, toilets are available at PICA Bar.

Route to the toilets

The first floor toilets are accessed from a corridor off the mezzanine balcony. The door to the corridor is 86cm wide. The corridor surface is a low-pile carpet.

The ground floor toilets can be accessed through the double doors into PICA Bar. There are hardwood floors to the toilets.

Nearby accessible toilets

The Perth Cultural Centre has an automated Exceloo toilet at the Cultural Centre car park and the Citiplace Rest Centre.

On the ground floor, is the double-height Central Gallery with open views to the floor above. It is connected to two smaller open-plan exhibition spaces.

On the first floor is the large West End Gallery, accessed via two sets of double doors (on either end of the gallery), and a smaller open-plan screen space for video artworks.

There is a mezzanine balcony on the first floor overlooking the empty space above the Central Gallery, which is occasionally used as an exhibition space.

Along the balcony are doors leading to separate rooms used as studio spaces for resident artists or as additional exhibition spaces.

There are low padded vinyl benches throughout the gallery spaces where visitors are able to sit and rest and view the works.

PICA’s Performance Space has a capacity of 105 seated visitors. It can be accessed via a double-door entrance on the ground floor to the right of the foyer. The double doors are 1.82 metres wide.

The space opens to a lower level down five steps, or via a wheelchair lift to the right of the steps. The lift is 1.01 metres wide x 1.4 metres long, with a capacity of 315 kilograms. It can accommodate one person in a chair and one attendant or three people.

There is a corridor from the steps and lift to the seating bank, which is 1 metre wide at its narrowest point.

To access the seats at the back of the seating bank, there are nine steps up on the right or 17 steps up on the left, with a handrail on the outer side. The front row of seats is accessible from ground level.

Seating

Each seat has a depth of 0.4 metres and a varying width of 0.37–0.40 metres. The back of the seat is 0.45 metres high. The distance from the seat to the floor is 0.43 metres. The distance between the seat’s edge to the row in front is 0.73 metres.

Accessible seating for people using mobility aids or wheelchairs and their companions is available in the front row of PICA’s Performance Space. Please see our Access Services & Resources section below for further information.

The PICA Hub is on the ground floor and between the front desk and PICA Bar, which can be accessed via double doors. These doors are open to PICA Bar from 11am–5pm during gallery hours, weather and sound levels permitting.

We offer free art activities for families and people of all ages at the hub as part of every exhibition. It’s often used for workshops, talks and other small community events. 

The main entrance to PICA and alternative entry via PICA Bar are wheelchair accessible.

All levels of the PICA building and gallery spaces are accessible via lift.

The hardwood and board floors of the galleries are suitable for mobility aids. 

A lift near the main front entrance provides access to the ground floor and first floor. It is 6 metres to the right of the sliding glass doors on the level surface.

The lift is accessible for different types of mobility aids. It is 2.2 metres x 0.88 metres between the handrails on each side.

Performance Space

To access PICA’s Performance Space, there is a lift 2 metres to the right of the Performance Space entrance. The lift is 1.01 metres wide x 1.4 metres long, with a capacity of 315 kilograms. It can accommodate one person in a chair and one attendant or three people.

The ground floor can be accessed by stairs from the front entrance with six steps and one handrail on the right.

The first floor can be accessed by stairs from the ground floor with handrails on each side. The lower section has four steps, the middle section has 15 steps and the upper section has 9 steps.

Tactile indicators are located along handrails and the entrance to stairs.

Some rooms and spaces in PICA will be bright, while others may have dim lighting or be quite dark.

Spotlights are used to light artworks, which can cause reflections or glare.

PICA provides warnings for artworks or any lighting that flashes, strobes or flickers.

Sound from artworks may be heard throughout the galleries and in nearby rooms.

Some artworks are interactive and visitors are invited to participate. We ask that visitors don’t touch the artwork unless invited to do so. Interactive artworks will be clearly signed through free-standing floor signs or through the accompanying wall labels.

Each performance has specific content warnings that are noted on the website and emailed to all ticket holders in advance. They are also available on free-standing floor signs at each performance and can be located outside the Performance Space, in the foyer.

Accessible and wheelchair seating is available for every performance. Please see the section on Performance Space seating above for seating measurements.

To book accessible seating, please contact our Box Office at (08) 9228 6300, info@pica.org.au or visit in person during gallery hours.

Audio description is available for selected performances. 

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au for more information.

Interpretation is provided for exhibition openings and selected performances. 

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au for more information.

Braille signage is in the lift and entrances to male, female and accessible toilets. 

PICA accepts Companion Cards for all our performances.

When purchasing a ticket, we ask that cardholders contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au to provide their Companion Card number and expiry date. Our Box Office will then issue a complimentary ticket for their companion.

We welcome guide and assistance dogs with full access rights.

Large text versions of all exhibition resources are available from the front desk.

Low sensory sessions can be arranged upon request to provide a comfortable environment that supports children and adults with Autism and specific sensory needs.

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au to discuss your needs.

Tours are provided in partnership with DADAA during each exhibition season. 

Please contact us at (08) 9228 6300 or info@pica.org.au for more information.