The incident at Peterhof involved a wheelchair user who was not allowed to reach the second floor of the Great Peterhof Palace. Staff reportedly explained the restriction by saying the wheelchair could leave marks on the stairs. The museum-reserve’s press service told socialbites.ca that the accessibility issue on the palace’s second floor would be addressed in the near future.
The Peterhof Museum-Reserve expressed sincere regret over the event. At present, the Great Peterhof Palace lacks equipment to lift wheelchairs to the second floor. Efforts are ongoing to improve accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility. These efforts include introducing appropriate technical tools and ensuring trained personnel are available to assist. The press service stated that the second-floor access problem would be resolved soon.
It was noted that the palace includes a first-floor room and a video tour of the museum designed for visitors with musculoskeletal conditions.
A disabled girl who visited Peterhof the day before reported on Twitter that a stroller was not allowed entry because the historic staircase might be scratched. She said that before entering, she and her mother were asked whether they could transport the stroller to the second floor themselves. The manager reportedly offered to have someone show a film about the museum instead.
Earlier, a wheelchair user in the Chelyabinsk region described a situation where one had to crawl steps to enter a pharmacy, highlighting ongoing concerns about accessibility in public spaces.