Art is the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program. This week focuses on information about Texas art museums. In fact, did you know that most art museums offer accessible tours? Well, they do. Look below to find information on accessible art tours near you!
Austin
The Blanton is for everyone.
The Blanton recognizes the wide-ranging abilities and needs of visitors and offers services to ensure the Museum is accessible to all.
For questions, specific accommodation needs, and to share feedback, contact the Blanton’s Visitor Services team at accessibility@blantonmuseum.org or 512-471-5482 during Museum hours.
Visitors with Limited Mobility
- Elevators are available on all floors of the Michener Gallery Building and the Smith Building. Austin by Ellsworth Kelly is wheelchair accessible.
- Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available for use on the ground floor of the Michener Gallery Building and both the ground floor and second floor of the Smith Building.
- Entrances have touch-free door access. Wave your hand to activate the sensors and automatically open the doors. Sensors are located on the left side of the exterior and after both sets of interior doors.
- Wheelchairs are available for visitors to use on a first-come, first-served basis. Ask for assistance at check-in.
Visitors Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision
- Large-print texts of labels in some galleries are available upon request. Please email if you would like these prior to your visit.
- Audio guides are available in English and Spanish for Austin by Ellsworth Kelly.
Visitors Hard of Hearing or Deaf
- Assistive listening devices
- Open Captioning
- Sign language interpretation
MexiciArte Museum
All current programs and education lessons are readily available online in a digital format. Digital programs are accessible through mobile and additional internet connected devices. Because of their internet-based accessibility, any screen reader or accessibility browser extension already in use by a visually impaired person would be able to aid in bridging that gap. Additional accommodations are available upon request, including bilingual tours and associates. If you have any questions, please email info@mexic-artemuseum.org or call 512-480-9373.
Dallas
The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) welcomes visitors of all ages and abilities to discover the power and beauty of art. To request an accessibility accommodation such as ASL interpretation, gallery chairs, or wheelchairs, please email access@dma.org or call general information at 214-922-1200.
Specific programs and accessibility accommodations include:
Any person needing a disability-related accommodation in order to participate in a Museum program should contact the Education Coordinator (museumaccess@smu.edu) at least one week prior to the program to arrange for the accommodation. For more information email Meadows Museum’s general information at meadowsmuseuminfo@smu.edu or call 214-768-2516.
- Mobility
- ASL Interpretation
- Assistive Listening Devices
- Access for Visitors with Vision Impairments
- Service Animals
The Nasher Sculpture Center strives to be a sensory-friendly environment where all visitors can learn and experience modern and contemporary sculpture. Specific accommodations are available for visitors with the following:
Visitors with Autism
- Sensory Kits
- Quiet Room
- Sensory-Friendly Resources
Visitors with Vision and/or Hearing Impairments
- Verbal Descriptions of Artworks
Visitors with Limited Mobility
- The Nasher Sculpture Center offers a curbless ADA compliant main entrance with buttons located on the left side of the entryway to open the front doors when you arrive.
- The entire Museum is wheelchair accessible.
- Service animals are welcome at the Nasher.
- Wheelchairs, seating in the galleries, and portable chairs are available for use upon request at the admissions desk. The garden is also designed to be accessible for visitors with limited mobility. Ramps are available on both sides of the sculpture garden so that guests may see every work on display.
Contact
If you are planning a visit and would like to reserve any of the Nasher’s assistive resources in advance or if you have other questions, please reach out to their Visitor Experiences staff at 214-242-5100 or their Manager of Visitor Experiences via email at ileerosson@nashersculpturecenter.org.
El Paso
The Museum is fully accessible and welcomes all service animals. For additional accommodations or requests, please contact the Museum at 915-212-0300.
Fort Worth
The following accommodations are available for visitors to the Carter:
Assistive Listening Devices
Assistive listening devices are available upon request for use during all public events or tours.
American Sign Language
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is automatically provided for many events or may be requested up to 48 hours before for all other events. Email for additional information. This is provided in partnership with intern students and faculty support from the Tarrant County College (TCC) Sign Language Program.
Color-blind Glasses
Check out a pair of EnChroma color-blind glasses at the information desk. Sizes are available for both children and adults.
Visual Description and Touch Tours
These free tours can be arranged to cover the collection as a whole or concentrate on specific objects or themes. Fill out the form or email them at least two weeks ahead of your visit.
Large Print Labels
Booklets with large print labels are located in every gallery.
Audio Stops
Hear more about artworks from artists, Museum staff, community members, and others by dialing in or streaming on your smart device.
Tactile Tool Kits
Tactile tool kits feature 3D-printed copies and raised-line drawings of select artworks, visual descriptions in braille and large print, and additional sensory objects.
The staff of the Modern is committed to making their building and programs available to all visitors. If a specific need is not addressed below, please call 817-738-9215 in advance of your visit.
- Parking spaces for disabled visitors are reserved in the Museum parking lot by the main entrance.
- Museum entrances are wheelchair accessible. The Museum offers wheelchairs free of charge to visitors at coat check on a first-come, first-served basis. Portable stools are also available upon request.
- All public areas, including galleries, auditorium, restrooms, elevators, education studio, Café Modern, and the Modern Shop, are accessible to people who use mobility aids and wheelchairs.
- The Museum welcomes service animals.
- Assistive-listening devices are available upon request for auditorium programs on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a new option for assistive listening, the Listen Everywhere phone app that plays the film’s audio through your Bluetooth hearing aids or any phone headphones.
Houston
All galleries and facilities are accessible by elevator and by ramp. Gallery stools are available upon request. Certified service animals are welcome. Gallery wall texts are available in English and Spanish. If you have questions about accessibility resources and programs, email infoblaffer@uh.edu or call 713-743-9521.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is a place for all people. The Museum is committed to making the art collections, buildings, programs, and services accessible to all guests.
Welcoming Guests Who Have Limited Mobility
Guests with limited mobility are encouraged to use the porte cochere at the Beck Building (5601 Main Street) or the valet entrance at the Kinder Building (5500 Main Street). Most public areas of the Museum, including the galleries, parking garages, theaters, restaurants, shops, and outdoor spaces, are wheelchair accessible.
The MFAH has wheelchairs that you may check out free of charge with a valid photo ID. The wheelchairs are available at any Museum entrance on a first-come, first-served basis. When you arrive, ask for a wheelchair, and the security staff can assist you. The MFAH also welcomes your personal walkers and wheelchairs. Motorized wheelchairs are permitted.
The Museum is accessible to visitors with limited mobility via escalators, elevators, and ramps. Wheelchair and family-accessible restrooms and elevators are located throughout the main campus.
Welcoming Guests Who Are Hard of Hearing or Deaf
Assistive-listening devices are available during lectures, films, and other programs. To request an assistive-listening device, check with any staff member.
Welcoming Guests with Dementia and Alzheimer’s
On the second Monday of the month, the Museum offers “Looking Together,” a program designed for individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease or dementia to discover and discuss works of art together with their family members or care partners. Admission is free, but space is limited, so be sure to preregister. Contact sniemeyer@mfah.org to sign up and for more information.
Welcoming Guests Who Have Low Vision or Are Blind
On the second Saturday of the month, the Museum offers “Art Beyond Sight,” a gallery program for guests who are blind or have low vision. Trained gallery educators use verbal descriptions and hands-on materials to engage participants with the MFAH art collections and exhibitions. Admission is free, but space is limited, so be sure to preregister. Contact sniemeyer@mfah.org to sign up and for more information.
Welcoming Neurodiversity and Guests Who Are on the Autism Spectrum
Preparing for your Museum visit a few days in advance can help guests who are neurodiverse and those who accompany them to have the most enjoyable experience possible.
Contact Us
The Museum welcomes comments and suggestions about how to improve programs and services for visitors with disabilities. If you have questions about accessibility resources and programs, email accessibility@mfah.org or call 713-639-7300.
San Antonio
Guests with special needs may call 210-824-5368 or email info@mcnayart.org to make arrangements. Wheelchairs are available, and most galleries are wheelchair accessible. Some areas require additional assistance.
The San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to serving visitors of all ages and abilities.
Lightweight folding stools that also serve as canes are available by the stairway in the Great Hall, and wheelchairs may be requested from a security guard at the front desk at the time of your visit. Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Service animals are welcome in the Museum.
For more information on the accessibility of the building, call 210-978-8100.
