Universal Design

Children’s Museum exhibits are designed to Universal Design standards, which take into account all people of diverse abilities. Products, services and environments that have been designed in this way are performance-based and address usability issues so they can be used by people of all ability levels to the fullest extent.

We offer the following accommodations for your visit, and staff are trained and happy to assist you. For questions or to request accommodations, please contact [email protected].

• Accessible parking in our parking lot
• A tactile Museum map at the Admissions desk
• Sensory tools, including noise-canceling headphones, weighted neck wraps and wrist assistance cuffs
• Sighted guides are available for descriptive tours; please contact [email protected] two weeks in advance of your visit to schedule
• American Sign Language interpreters are available for tours and public programs; please contact [email protected] two weeks in advance of your visit to schedule
• A description of Museum exhibits told from a child’s perspective and utilizing visual messages

• • sensory play
    Tuesdays, 10:00 am – Noon
    Children can practice fine and gross motor skills while supporting cognitive growth through soothing activities and exploration of sights, textures, sounds and tools in a different exhibit space each week. While this program is designed with early learners in mind, all ages are welcome.  Check the Calendar of Events for location and schedule variations
  • Monthly Sensory Friendly Afternoons are offered on the second Tuesday of each month, 1:00 – 5:00 pm. Anyone with sensory sensitivities is invited to have a fun, friendly experience in a comfortable and accepting environment. Lights and sounds in spaces throughout the museum are adjusted, Sensory Kits with noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, fidgets and other items are available, and several Quiet Areas, where families can take a break, are designated. Check the Calendar of Events for dates.

For questions on Museum programs for children and families with autism spectrum disorders and sensory sensitivities, please contact [email protected].

The Children’s Museum participates in several programs to make admission more accessible, including:

• Museums for All program, offering reduced admission to those who receive food or medical benefits with an EBT card
• Blue Star Museums, offering free admission for active, retired and veteran military members and several guests
• Free admission to any therapeutic staff support, counselor, doctor, therapist or nurse that accompanies a visitor as part of their professional responsibilities. Please provide employee identification at the Admissions Desk to receive admission.

We post a weekly Field Trip Forecast during the spring months to assist visitors in planning their visit.

• The Children’s Museum’s main entrance at 10 Children’s Way is wheelchair accessible; MuseumLab offers a ground level accessible entrance at 6 Allegheny Square East.
• Exhibit areas are accessible by ramp and elevator, with the exception of the Gravity Room in the Kindness Gallery and the Limb Bender.
• Versatile Velcro lap tables, adjustable to fit most wheelchairs, are available upon request.
• Motorized wheelchairs are always permitted.
• Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Service dogs and miniature horses are welcome in the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and MuseumLab.

In situations where it is not obvious that the animal is a service animal, staff may ask if the service animal is required for a disability and what work or task has the animal been trained to perform. Staff will not ask for documentation or that the animal demonstrate a task, or inquire about the nature of a person’s disability.

Learn about accessible resources at MuseumLab, our museum for youth 10 and older located next door to the Children’s Museum building.