Accessibility Resources

Here you will find a collection of resources, documents, tools, and other professional development materials organized by topic. If you have documents or links that you would like to include, please complete our Add a Resource Form.

Accessibility in Michigan

• Grand Rapids’ Accessibility Guide

• Michigan Department of Natural Resources - Accessible Recreation Opportunities

• Pure Michigan - Accessibility

• Sensory Friendly Activities in the Greater Lansing Area

Accessibility - General

• Braden, Caroline. “Welcoming All Visitors: Museums, Accessibility, and Visitors with Disabilities.” Working Paper in Museum Studies (12), Museum Studies Program, University of Michigan, 2016.

• “Expanding Your Market: Maintaining Accessibility in Museums.” U.S. Department of Justice, 2009.

• Levinsky-Raskin, Sheri and Greg Stevens. “‘Nothing About Us Without Us’: Reflections on Inclusive Practices at Cultural Institutions.” Museum, January/February 2016, pp. 18-24.

• Library Accessibility Toolkit. Library Accessibility Alliance.

• “Museums on Call: How Museums are Addressing Health Issues.” American Alliance of Museums, 2013.

• National Park Service Accessibility

• Skulski, Jennifer K., Ray Bloomer, and Jeffrey Chait. “A Survey of Ticket and Accommodation Policies for Performance Venues, Theaters and Sports Arenas.” National Center on Accessibility, August 2002.

• Stemler, Barbara Johnson, Annie Leist, and Sheri Levinsky-Raskin. “Visitor Voices: A Story of Accessibility and Inclusion.” Museum, September/October 2015, pp. 36-42.

• Trainer, Laureen, Heather Pressman, Danielle Schulz, Caroline Braden, Charlotte Martin, Lynda Kennedy, and Alyssa Carr. “Museum Accessibility: An Art and a Science.” American Alliance of Museums Blog, October 21, 2022.

Accessibility Planning

• “Accessibility and Inclusion Action Plan 2018-2021: Providing Accessible and Inclusive Exhibits, Programs and Services” (from the Australian Museum)

• ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities

• Final Report for “All In! Accessibility in the National Park Service 2015-2020” (Five-Year Accessibility Study)

Accessibility Training

• “Working Document of Best Practices: Tips for Making All Visitors Feel Welcome.” Museum Arts Culture Access Consortium.

Accessible Events

• “A Planning Guide for Making Temporary Events Accessible to People with Disabilities.” ADA National Network, 2015.

• “Guide to Accessible Festivals and Outdoor Events.” Accessible Ontario, 2016.

• Smith, Nicole. “The A in DEAI: Seven tips for greater accessibility at events.” American Alliance of Museums, September 17, 2018.

ADA

• ADA Title III Regulations (Places of Public Accommodation and Commercial Facilities)

• ADA Standards for Accessible Design

• ADA Fact Sheets from the ADA National Network

• Fact Sheet - ADA Requirements: Effective Communication

• Fact Sheet - ADA Requirements: Service Animals

• Fact Sheet - ADA Requirements: Ticket Sales

• Fact Sheet - ADA Requirements: Wheelchairs, Mobility Aids, and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices

• Great Lakes ADA Center

• “Guide to the ADA Standards.” United States Access Board

• “Hospitality & Disability: An ADA National Network Initiative.” ADA National Network

Autism Spectrum Disorder

• “Autism Spectrum Disorder.” National Institute of Mental Health.

• “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Braden, Caroline. “Growing a Popular Program.” Museum, March-April 2025, pp. 40-45.

• “Examples of Social Narratives for Visitors.” Museum Arts Culture Access Consortium.

• “Guidelines for Autism-Friendly Programs.” Museum Arts Culture Access Consortium.

• “Learning Module: Creating a Social Narrative for Visitors with Autism.” Museum Arts Culture Access Consortium.

• “Learning Module: Creating Visual Schedules and Checklists.” Museum Arts Culture Access Consortium.

• “Libraries and Autism: We’re Connected”

• Project PALS (providing library services to people with autism)

• “Sensory Friendly Programming for People with Social & Cognitive Disabilities: A Guide for Performing Arts Settings.” The Kennedy Center, 2013.

• Shrikant, Aditi. “How Museums are Becoming More Sensory-Friendly for those with Autism.” Smithsonian, January 5, 2018.

• Stevens, Greg, Rebecca Sinel, Charlotte Martin, and Ashley Terrell-Rea. “Rise and Shine: Early Morning Programs for People with Autism.” Museum, September/October 2016, pp. 39-44.

Blind/Low Vision

• “Courtesy Rules of Blindness.” National Federation of the Blind.

• “Guidelines for Image Descriptions.” National Gallery of Art.

• Levent, Nina and Christine Reich. “How Can My Museum Help Visitors with Vision Loss?” Museum, July/August 2012, pp. 21-22.

• Taggart, Jen. “Literacy for Youth with Low Vision.” Adaptive Umbrella: Accessible and inclusive library programming, collections, & services, September 12, 2017.

Deaf/Hard of Hearing

• “Assistive Listening Systems for People with Hearing Loss: A Guide for Museum Settings.” The Kennedy Center.

• “Speech through a Hearing Aid and FM System: A Simulation”

Dementia

• Burns, Norman. “The Memory Café: Creating a museum program for people with dementia,” 2019.

• “Communication and Alzheimer’s.” Alzheimer’s Association.

• Eye on Detroit - Alzheimer’s Association, DSO, and The Henry Ford collaborative program, 2018.

• Jackson, Sharyn. “As America ages, museums are adapting to audiences with memory loss.” Star Tribune, January 4, 2016.

• “‘Meet Me’ The MoMA Alzheimer’s Project: Making Art Accessible to People with Dementia”

Diversifying the Workforce

• Gregory, Meredith, “Neurodiversifying the Museum.” Center for the Future of Museums Blog, January 10, 2017.

• Spencer Winfield, Dana, “Improving Access to Employment for People with Disabilities.” Center for the Future of Museums Blog, November 17, 2022.

• “Supporting Transitions: Cultural Connections for Adults with Autism.” Museum Arts Culture Access Consortium.

• “Tips for Mentoring a Student Intern Who Has a Disability.” Employer Assistance and Resource Network.

Diversity and Disability

• Disability Social History Project 

• Disabled People of Color - Disability Visibility Project 

• Diverse Elders Coalition

• Infographic: Adults with Disabilities: Ethnicity and Race - CDC 

• Issues Brief: LGBT and Dementia

• Morenikego.com

• Resources on Disability, Ableism, & Audism (Compiled by Detroit Disability Power)

• UsAgainstAlzheimer’s

• AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer's | UsAgainstAlzheimer's

• LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s | UsAgainstAlzheimer's

• 10 Principles of Disability Justice - Sins Invalid

Exhibitions/Universal Design

• Bader, Miriam. “Historic Sites and Universal Design: Lessons from the Tenement Museum.” Exhibitionist, 34(2), 2015, pp. 28-33.

• Hartley, Michele. “Shifting the conversation: Improving Access with Universal Design.” Exhibitionist, 34(2), 2015, pp. 42-48.

• “Inclusive Digital Interactives: Best Practices + Research.” A collaboration of Access Smithsonian, Institute for Human Centered Design, and MuseWeb.

• Institute for Human Centered Design

• Principles of Universal Design

• Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1996.

• Universal Design for Learning Graphic Organizer

Web Accessibility

• “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview.” World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).