Accessible museums: the route, the objects, the labels and the auditorium

Museums and the law

In the United States, private museums are among the public accommodations covered by the ADA (ADA primer for small business), and museums run by state and local governments are covered by title II, which applies to all their services, programs and activities (ADA.gov introduction to the ADA).

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities asks countries to ensure access to places for cultural performances or services, such as theatres, museums, cinemas and libraries, and, as far as possible, to monuments and sites of national cultural importance (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, article 30).

In the galleries: touch, listen, read

The Smithsonian Accessibility Program publishes the guidelines it applies to the Smithsonian’s own exhibitions. Among them (Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design):

• items essential to the exhibition’s main theme can be explored by touch, the object itself, a reproduction or a model, or through a comprehensive audio description;
• main label text is available in the galleries in alternative formats, such as braille or audio, for people who cannot read print;
• audiovisuals and interactives produced by the Smithsonian are captioned, and those without a soundtrack carry a label saying so;
• display cases give a view to people who are short or seated as well as standing;
• every exhibition has seating, and half of the seats are accessible.

What to ask before you go

• Is the entrance step-free, and is there an elevator to every gallery?
• Are there touch tours, audio-described tours or sign language tours, and do they need booking?
• Does the auditorium have assistive listening, and where are the receivers?
• Are there wheelchairs to borrow and places to sit along the route?
• Is there an accessible restroom, and do staff know service animals are allowed?

For other attractions, from zoos and theme parks to national parks, see accessible tourist attractions.

More accessibility guides

• Braille signage: which signs need braille under the ADA, how high they go, on which side of the door, and the size of the dots.
• Accessible travel: your rights on flights in the US and the EU, accessible hotel rooms, and what to ask before you book.
• Accessible tourist attractions: what to check at a park, zoo, theme park or show: the entrance, the route, rides, tickets, services for blind and deaf visitors, and trails.
• Accessibility symbols: what the wheelchair symbol means, where it is required and the other access symbols.
• ADA compliance: a checklist for small businesses, with the 2010 Standards section behind each item.
• All accessibility guides