From glasses designed to correct for color blindness, tactile displays, and braille signage, to improved wheelchair accessibility, here are seven places in the U.S. that are making experiences and environments more welcoming to all visitors.
LessDespite her deteriorating eyesight, O’Keeffe continued painting, sculpting, and writing until she died in Santa Fe at the age of 98. Today, her eponymous museum offers several accessibility accommodations, including free admission to caregivers, accessible bathrooms, closed captioning on videos, and audio guides, in addition to free wheelchairs, color-correcting glasses, and ASL interpreters upon request.
Known for its explosion of cherry blossoms every spring, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s 52 acres are also home to impressive collections of daffodils, tulips, desert plants, and a bonsai museum. But those with visual impairments can enjoy a multi-sensory experience in the fragrance garden. Created in 1955 as the first of its kind in the U.S., the garden is designed so visitors can touch and smell the fragrant plants, flowers, and herbs, all of which are identified with braille markers.
The memorial for the only U.S. president to use a wheelchair was designed with accessibility in mind. Dedicated in 1997, the FDR Memorial is located along Washington, D.C.’s Tidal Basin and tells the story of the 32nd president through a series of outdoor “rooms.” Despite being designed to be entirely wheelchair accessible with tactile elements and braille placards, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin received criticism for choosing not to highlight FDR’s use of a wheelchair.
Founded in 1996, MCA Denver was the first museum dedicated to contemporary art in the Colorado city. With no permanent collection and only rotating exhibits, there’s always something new to see—and now more visitors can experience the artwork thanks to the museum’s four pairs of EnChroma glasses, made specifically for red-green color blindness.
The world’s largest children’s museum features five floors comprising 13,000 artifacts and welcomes more than a million visitors each year. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis encourages people to become “Accessibility Advisors” and provide feedback on inclusivity initiatives, which include providing fidget devices, noise-reducing headphones, ASL interpreters, assistive listening devices, and free admission to caregivers.
As of this year, all three U.S. LEGOLAND Resorts (located in Florida, New York, and California) are now Certified Autism Centers (CAC), offering low-sensory areas designed for rest, quiet rooms, and varying sound levels based on the time of day. Earplugs and special passes are available for guests and caregivers who need them, and shops, restaurants, and rides are wheelchair-accessible.
The second-oldest of the “Big Five” orchestras in the U.S., the Boston Symphony Orchestra offers sensory-friendly concerts designed for music lovers of all ages. During the special performances, “relaxed house rules allow for more audience movement and foster a judgment-free environment,” according to the BSO. While the music may be familiar, the modified shows feature dim lighting, sound adjustments, and signals to prepare visitors for what to expect next.