Visitor Information > Accessibility

Accessibility at the Museum

The American Museum of Natural History welcomes all visitors and strives to make its exhibitions, programs, and services accessible to everyone.

For Visitors with Mobility Impairments

The following entrances are accessible by wheelchair and have passenger loading zones and curb ramps:

Rose Center for Earth and Space entrance: 81st Street, just west of Central Park West (wheelchair accessible)
Parking garage: 81st Street adjacent to Rose Center entrance (wheelchair accessible)
77th Street entrance: 77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
(This entrance is open only for special programs.)

All of the Museum's exhibitions are accessible by wheelchair, and all public floors of the Museum can be reached by elevator.

All theaters include wheelchair locations and companion seats. The LeFrak IMAX^® Theater also is equipped with chairs that have swing-out armrests for those wishing to sit in a theater seat.

All food service areas are accessible by wheelchair with no steps, turnstiles, or other potential obstructions.

The following restroom locations are accessible to those with mobility impairments or in wheelchairs:

Lower level near the subway entrance
Lower level, Rose Center for Earth and Space
First floor, Charles A. Dana Education Wing
First floor, Rose Center for Earth and Space
Third floor, Hall of Primates
Fourth floor, Orientation Center

Wheelchairs are available for visitor use on a first-come, first-served basis at the Will Call desk directly inside the Rose Center/81st Street entrance, at the Main/Central Park West entrance, and in the parking garage.

For Visitors Who Are Hard of Hearing or Deaf

Infrared assistive listening devices (headsets and neck loops) are available upon request in the following locations:

LeFrak IMAX^® Theater
Kaufmann and Linder Theaters
Hayden Planetarium Space Theater
Big Bang Theater

Telephones

TTY is available for incoming calls at a pay phone directly inside the 77th Street entrance and in the Roosevelt Rotunda on the second floor.

Transcripts

Downloadable scripts of the following shows are available:

Cosmic Collisions Space Show script (Word doc), large print script (Word doc).

The Big Bang script (pdf, 57kb), large print script (Word doc).

IMAX: Dinosaurs Alive! script (pdf, 152kb), large print script (pdf, 162kb).

Closed Captioning

Closed captioning is provided in all mini theaters throughout the Museum.
Rear window® captioning (RWC) is available in the IMAX theater for most shows. Please see the theater attendant for a panel.

Signed Tours

Select signed tours are available; please see the printed Museum Calendar for listings.

For Visitors Who Are Blind or Partially Sighted

Public elevators near the Central Park West and 77th Street entrances and those in the Rose Center are equipped with Braille signage and give auditory signals.

Touchable Exhibits

Several of the Museum's permanent halls feature touchable exhibits. The Discovery Room on the first floor has touchable exhibits specially geared toward children. The Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth features many touchable rock specimens. Special exhibitions often have touch stations as well.

For general Museum information call 212-769-5100 or email visitorinfo@amnh.org.