We’re committed to making our Museum experience accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities, their peers and families, with a range of tools designed to enhance learning and discovery.
The Social Narrative provides an illustrated, step-by-step guide on what to expect during a visit to the Museum. Use the Social Narrative to prepare for your visit and a change in routine. Customized social narratives are available for group programs and public events.
The Sensory Guide is an illustrated overview of the different areas of the Museum. For each section of the Museum, it lists highlights, noise level, rules about touching and eating, and wheelchair accessibility. The areas of the Museum match with the maps available in the Welcome Center and at the Information Desk and on Bloomberg Connects.
Visual Vocabularies can augment communication or help families and groups focus their visit and cover Life Aboard Intrepid, Aviation, Space Travel, Staying Afloat, Transportation and Submarines. Use these Visual Vocabularies to get a sense of what to expect, introduce new vocabulary and plan out what to see at the Museum by printing them out, cutting and pasting the squares to organize your visit. The submarine Growler has special requirements for entry, which are listed here.
Explore the Museum’s YouTube channel for videos about Museum news and events, behind-the-scenes tours, aircraft, oral histories, different areas of the ship and more.
The Museum partnered with Google Arts & Culture to provide free online access to many of its historical spaces, artifacts and archives. Using Google’s Street View feature, people all over the world can now virtually explore the Museum’s most intriguing spaces, including Intrepid, Growler, the Concorde and the Space Shuttle Pavilion, all with just a few clicks.
Visitors who are blind or have low vision are invited for virtual verbal description tours of the Intrepid Museum’s historic spaces, collections and exhibitions. These programs are free with advance registration. Custom virtual and onsite Verbal Description Tours are also available at no cost to NYC-based schools and organizations. Individual visitors and families can request custom Verbal Description and Touch Tours at no additional cost, with advance request. Please contact access@intrepidmuseum.org for more information.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation can be arranged for any Museum programs at no cost. Please email access@intrepidmuseum.org (include “ASL Interpretation Request” in the subject line) as early as possible, ideally two weeks ahead of your program date.
We’re proud to offer a range of tools and resources throughout the Museum aimed at enhancing learning and discovery for visitors with disabilities.
Specialized programs are available for schools and organizations serving those with disabilities, including enhanced sensory opportunities and support for social-emotional and academic goals.
We offer a variety of programs for individuals with disabilities and their families. From guided interactive tours to art and building activities, the fun is endless.
The Museum partnered with New York University’s Ability Project and collaborated with seven historic sites and house museums, eight disability advocates, Access Smithsonian and National Trust for Historic Preservation to produce an accessible digital publication. This publication Making History Accessible: Toolkit for Multisensory Interpretation, offers a range of digital and physical/tactile solutions to help make interpretive content at historic sites and other educational facilities more accessible.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, IMLS grant number CAGML-247144-OMLS-20. The project is also supported by the Harry S. Black and Allon Fuller Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee.
The Museum is committed to removing barriers to participation and providing equity and inclusion for individuals with disabilities. If you have recommendations, feedback or want to be more involved, we’d love to hear from you.
