AS

Accessibility statement 

This accessibility statement applies to the BM Library catalogue website: library.britishmuseum.org/. 

This website is run by the British Museum. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to: 

  • Change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser or device settings. 

  • Zoom in up to 400% without the text spilling off the screen. 

  • Navigate most of the website using a keyboard or speech recognition software. 

  • Listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver). 

We are also making the text on our websites as simple as possible to understand. We write in plain English and explain technical terms wherever possible. 

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability. 

How accessible this website is 

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible: 

  • Some images do not have image alternative text. 

  • Some decorative images have alternative text. 

  • Some menus, headings, form field components, tabs, lists, buttons, links, labels and other interactive elements may not be fully accessible to users relying on keyboards or assistive technologies. 

  • Colour contrast may not be sufficient for some users. 

Feedback and contact information 

If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, email us at access@britishmuseum.org, or fill out the online enquiries form on our main website. 

Please provide us with: 

  • The web address (URL) of the content you need 

  • The format you need it in 

  • Your name and email address 

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille we’ll do our best to support you. Please email us at access@britishmuseum.org, or fill out the online enquiries form on our main website. 

We welcome your feedback. We will aim to get back to you in 21 days. 

Enforcement procedure 

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS). 

Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person 

If you need any assistance or information to help you plan a visit to the Museum, please contact us: 

  • Phone: +44 (0)20 7323 8971 

You can also read the Accessibility at the Museum page on our main website for more information. 

Technical information about our websites’ accessibility 

The British Museum is committed to making its websites accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. 

Compliance status 

The BM Library catalogue website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below. 

Non-accessible content 

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons. 

Non-compliance with the Accessibility Regulations 

  • Some decorative images have alt text, which adds unnecessary complexity to the page for assistive technology users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text content). 

  • Form elements are not well grouped and would benefit from programmatic form labels. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships). 

  • Tabs are not implemented correctly, meaning screen reader users have to listen to a lot of information when navigating the website. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships). 

  • Required fields in forms are not clear to all users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships). 

  • Table columns are missing headings, which means assistive technology users may not understand the data’s organisation or relationships. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships). 

  • Colour contrast is insufficient on some text, icons, buttons and fields, making it difficult for people with colour blindness or impaired vision to read the content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast [Minimum]). 

  • On mobile and at high levels of zoom some content does not reflow well. This means that content may be totally obscured and/or inaccessible for some users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.10 (Reflow). 

  • Some important interactive elements are not operable with a keyboard. Keyboard only users will be unable to engage with these elements and would miss out on this content as a result. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.1.1 (Keyboard). 

  • The cookie banner sits in an unexpected place in the focus order. This might be disorienting for screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.3 (Focus Order). 

  • The purpose of links is not always clear. Some links and buttons do not make sense without the context of the surrounding content. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.4 (Link Purpose [In Context]). 

  • Some visual labels on forms or links do not always match the accessible name. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.5.3 (Label in Name). 

  • Expandable sections are not accessible to screen reader users. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value). 

  • Status messages are not clearly announced on the account login. This means that screen reader and braille reader users will be unaware that the status has changed. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.3 (Status Messages). 

What we’re doing to improve accessibility 

As noted above, the British Museum is committed to providing websites that are accessible to all, and we are working hard to achieve that. 

We are also: 

  • Ensuring that all new components are built to the highest WCAG standards possible. 

  • Continuing to test our new designs and products with a broad and diverse range of audiences. 

  • Rolling out accessibility training to staff who create content and new products. 

  • Raising general accessibility awareness across the Museum. 

Preparation of this accessibility statement 

This statement was last reviewed on 3rd February 2025. 

This website was last tested in December 2024 against the WCAG 2.2 AA standard. 

The test was carried out by Web Usability. We tested all components and modules that we use to build our page templates. We then tested a sample of our page templates, which included all components. 

If you would like to view the full accessibility report, which includes details of what was tested, please email access@britishmuseum.org.