The Queen's Hall is your Hall and we want to make sure you feel safe and welcome. These pages are designed to answer any questions you might have before you arrive.
The video below walks you around the venue, shows you how to buy a ticket and let's you hear what the fire alarm sounds like (although it's very rare for this to go off). It's expertly guided by our friend, Drake Music Scotland musician and regular Gig Buddies attendee and access coach, Joseph Cox.
You can view a BSL-captioned version of this film by clicking here.
If you don't find the information you need here or would like to come and have a look around before you attend an event, please call 0131 668 2019 or email Info@QueensHallEdinburgh.Org.
For further information about different access requirements please click on one of the menu links above or to the side (depending on the device you're using), or click below:
There is a one-page quick access guide to download below.
We look forward to welcoming you.
The Queen's Hall is a large stone building set just off the pavement behind black railings.
Gates in the railings will be open when the venue doors open and Ushers will be at each open door to check your ticket and help you find your seat - you can use any open door to access the building.
For some shows, security teams will also ask to look through your bag.
Our Bar Staff and Ushers wear black and will have a red lanyard, except during Edinburgh International Festival when they will be wearing yellow t-shirts.
The Box Office is at the north end of the building (closest to the city centre) for booking or collecting tickets.
There is no direct access to the Hall from the Box Office, so you will need to go back out onto the pavement, turn right and enter the Hall through the main doors.
There is a wide open space leading from the front of the building all the way through to the bar.
The ceiling is quite low at the front but gets much higher towards the back.
There are no steps but a downward slope of around 9% starts about one third of the way into the foyer and flattens out when you reach the Bar area.
A handrail starts about halfway along the lefthand side of the foyer and runs alongside the incline at a height of 91cm.
There are sometimes tables and chairs to sit at it in this space, but for busy events there will just be tall tables you can stand around and put your drink on.
It can get quite noisy in this space, so if you would like to use our ear defenders, please ask for the Sensory Kit at Box Office (more information on the Neurodivergent page) or speak to an Usher.
Depending on the show you are coming to, seats might be laid out in rows or around round tables in the auditorium, or there may be no seats in the stalls, just the fixed seating in the pews and gallery (when open) with the centre stall area for standing.
There is a step into all the pew seating (Seats V28-58; U / T / S17-68; R21-64; Q24-61; P26-59). This ranges in height from around 24cm into row V; 15-17cm into rows U, T and S; and 20cm into rows R, Q and P. In row V there is an additional small step of 3-10cm. In rows U, T and S there is an additional small step of 2-5cm. You can see this represented on a seating plan by clicking here.
At shows with no seats in the stalls (which we call 'unreserved'), there will often be a barrier at the front between the stage and the audience.
Your seat might be downstairs or upstairs in the Gallery, please ask an Usher if you are unsure.
We are sorry but there is no step-free access upstairs.
Non-accessible self-contained cubicle toilets are located upstairs above the bar.
There are other toilets on the south side of the auditorium (the opposite side to the Box Office).
Free period products are available in all toilets so please help yourself to what you need.
Black signs with white writing and black writing on the walls show you where everything is.