All too often, museums and galleries are exclusive spaces. Some are still not wheelchair accessible, while others don’t bother to explain accessibility on their websites unnecessarily complicating visits. Many others do not offer customized programs or tours geared to make people with developmental disabilities feel welcome and included.
To be fair, accessible programming often requires expertise and a budget, which might not be available to smaller museums and spaces. It’s awfully easy, however, to include an accessibility link on a museum’s website that explains access options. More complicated to create but incredibly helpful are sensory guides (sometimes called a “narrative” or “story”) explaining what visitors with cognitive and sensory processing sensitivities should expect to encounter. Some museums, such as the Guggenheim, also offer a Sensory Map, which connote which areas of the museum one will encounter the biggest crowds and highest noise levels.
Below you’ll find a list of museums in New York that had enough information on their websites to be included on this list. (By enough, we mean they each have at least one more link in addition to accessibility.)
A shout-out to Bedford’s Inclusive Initiative, whose outreach has resulted in several local art destinations being certified as neurodivergent supportive. This includes educating staff on what neurodiversity looks like and what accommodations would be helpful.
This list gets updated periodically. Please check back in. Also, feel free to contact The Boost here if you have a museum you’d like to see added.
American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park W., New York, N.Y., 10024, 212-769-5100
Accessibility & Language Assistance (Note: Service dogs are welcome.)
Discovery Squad Tours: A unique tour program designed for 5- to 14-years-olds diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The program was developed in collaboration with the Seaver Autism Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. On select Sunday mornings, families can attend a 40-minute tour led by specially trained tour guides, then spend some time exploring activities related to the Museum halls, before the Museum opens to the public. Families are invited to stay after the tour and enjoy the Museum when it opens to the public at 10 a.m.
Chroma Fine Art Gallery
194 Katonah Ave, Katonah, N.Y., 10536, 914-301-3179
This intimate gallery is certified as Neurodivergent Supportive through the Inclusive Initiative.
Guggenheim
1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y., 10128, 212-423-3500
Guggenheim for All Programs and Events: Custom programming and classes for individuals on the autism spectrum and their caregivers. There is also virtual programming to serve classes of students with autism and sensory sensitivities.
Hudson River Museum
511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers, N.Y., 10701, 914-963-4550
The Planetarium shows and workshops have assistive listening devices and lighting for a sign-language interpreter available.
Intrepid Museum
Pier 86, W. 46th St and 12th Ave, New York, N.Y., 10036-4103, 212-245-0072
The Museum delivers nationally-recognized accessible programming to individuals with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities, including autism and dementia.
Accessibility Tools & Events Includes a Sensory Guide and a Visual Vocabulary, which can augment communication or help families and groups focus their visit.
Jewish Museum
1109 5th Ave. at 92nd St., New York, N.Y., 10128, 212-423-3200
Visitors with Learning or Developmental Disabilities: Examine art, then create a work of your own in these programs for children and adults who have developmental or learning disabilities. Workshops include gallery activities and an art project. For more info call 212-423-3289 or email access@thejm.org.
Katonah Museum of Art
134 Jay St., Katonah, N.Y., 10536, 914-232-9555
The museum is certified as Neurodivergent Supportive through the Inclusive Initiative.
KMA Sense Family Backpack: Backpack for family visitors with children on the autism spectrum or who have sensory processing differences. It’s available at the front desk and includes noise-reducing headphones, fidget toys, an art activity, and some special books.
Long Island Children’s Museum
11 Davis Ave., Garden City, N.Y., 11530, 516-224-5800
Accessibility/LICM4all: A museum-wide initiative to provide accessibility and inclusion resources for all visitors. Includes Friendly Hours, including alterations to lighting and sound, Sensory Sensitivity Theater, a Sensory Room and assistive devices.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y., 10028, 212-535-7710
There are a variety of workshops for visitors with developmental and learning disabilities and those on the autism spectrum. Its Discoveries program starts with a tour of the museum’s collections, usually with a specific topic that’s listed on the registration page, and then is followed up with an art-making activity. There are three age groups, ages 5-13, 14-22, and 23+.
For updates on upcoming programs, check out Facebook or email access@metmuseum.org.
Museum of Modern Art
11 W. 53rd St., New York, N.Y., 10019, 212-708-9400
Access Programs for Visitors with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Create Ability: A monthly program that explores works on view and lets participants create artworks. In each session, participants focus on a different theme during interactive activities in the museum’s galleries and classrooms.
Museum of the Moving Image
36-01 35th Ave., Queens, N.Y., 11106, 718-777-6800
Access Mornings at MoMI: Offered the first Saturday of each month, these are for families with children on the autism spectrum and give families an exclusive opportunity to explore exhibitions and participate in workshops that begin at 11 a.m. before public hours begin.
Nassau County Museum of Art
One Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor, N.Y., 11576 516-484-9338
Access Resources: They include a Sensory Tool Kit, a Social Story and a Sensory Map. There are also activities to enjoy remotely for people on the Autism Spectrum.
Neuberger Museum of Art
735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, N.Y., 10577, 914-251-6100
There are no specifically designed programs but groups are welcome to reach out to nma.education@purchase.edu to meet the needs of the visitors.
New Museum
235 Bowery, New York, N.Y., 10002, 212-219-1222
The New Museum offers complimentary or discounted group admission for nonprofit or social services agencies that serve individuals with differing abilities or health statuses.
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th St., Corona, N.Y., 11368, 718-699-0005
Family Access Programming NY Sci offers programs and resources to bring neurodiverse children and their families together to learn and discover about the wonder of science in an environment that supports their unique needs. Plus: Sensory Sensitive backpacks, a Saturday Sensory Hour, Sensory Playdates, and more.
New York Transit Museum
99 Schermerhorn Street Brooklyn, NY 11201, 718-694-1600
Not an art museum per se, but it has a variety of wonderful programs, all of which are found under Access Programs. They include:
- Transit Quest: a week-long summer program immersing participants in New York Transit Museum content for ages 14 to 17 who identify as neurodivergent;
- Day Habilitation Day: which allows individuals and groups to explore the Transit Museum and learn about the programs offered for adults with disabilities;
- Subway Sleuths: an after-school program that builds on a shared interest in trains and public transit among 2nd through 5th grade students on the autism spectrum;
- Special Day: where children with developmental disabilities or those on the autism spectrum and their families can join for transit-themed activities, performances, and exploring the Museum before it opens to the public;
- Ready to Ride Family Event: which lets people practice how to travel by subway.
Queens Museum
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Building, Corona, NY 11368, 718-592-9700
Accessibility Actions the museum takes include staff training on disability awareness and researching new ways to improve the physical accessibility of its space in collaboration with MIXDesign.
Art Access Guided Tours & Workshops The Queens Museum provides unique programs for children, teens, and adults with disabilities across the New York City area. ArtAccess programs are designed and led by trained museum educators and teaching artists.
Storm King Art Center
1 Museum Rd., New Windsor, N.Y., 12553, 845-534-3115
I’m including this one despite it only have an accessibility link because it’s undoubtedly an awesome spot. It consists of 500 acres where visitors experience large-scale sculpture and site-specific commissions.
Whitney Museum of American Art
99 Gansevoort St, New York, N.Y., 10014, 212-570-3600
Sensory-Friendly Programs for Neurodivergent Visitors: The Whitney invites neurodiverse audiences to “plain-language” (i.e., clear and straightforward) gallery tours and sensory-friendly art-making workshops on select Saturdays before the Museum opens to the general public. This program is intended for kids ages 6+. There are also private plain-language tours for neurodivergent adults and relevant community organizations available by request.
Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium
602 Surf Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., 11224, 718-265-3474
Sensory Sensitivities: The NY Aquarium partnered with KultureCity to improve the park’s ability to assist and accommodate guests with sensory processing needs. The objective is to provide an inclusive and seamless experience for every guest, regardless of age and ability, including those with sensory processing disorders (SPDs). The Aquarium has installed signage identifying quiet zones and headphone zones to help visitors as they explore the grounds, and offers Sensory Bags.
Yellow Studio
792 Route 35. Cross River, N.Y., 10518, 914-704-3215
Although it is not wheelchair accessible, this art gallery and co-working space for women is certified as Neurodivergent Supportive through the Inclusive Initiative.
