The Art Institute of Chicago welcomes all visitors and affirms its commitment to making its programs and services accessible to everyone. The museum has a range of resources and programs designed specifically for adults and children with disabilities.


New! TacTiles Kits

The Art Institute is pleased to unveil a phenomenal and fresh approach to experiencing art for visitors who have low vision: "TacTiles." These kits consist of a series of masterpieces from the Art Institute's collection represented on hand-held tiles designed to be touched. The compositions and textures of the works of art are reproduced on the tiles, making these works legible through fingertips to visitors. Each TacTile fits into a slot in a specially designed carrying case, which also includes a color photograph, a large-type print description, and a braille description of each work.

Works of art represented include: Pierre Auguste Renoir's Two Sisters (On the Terrace), 1881 (pictured above); Trompe-L'Oeil Still Life with a Flower Garland and a Curtain by Ardriaen van der Spelt and Frans van Mieris, 1658; Joan Miró's Personages with Star, 1933; a Japanese screen by Tosa Mitsuoki, Flowering Cherry with Poem Slips, c. 1675; and the marvelous Aztec Coronation Stone of Motecuhzoma II, 1503.

TacTiles are available through prearranged Escorts for the Blind tours with the Department of Museum Education. For more information, call (312) 857-7641.

TacTiles are made possible thanks to a generous grant from Buddy Mayer and the Rothschild Foundation.

TacTiles were developed by the Department of Museum Education of the Art Institute and Helen Maria Nugent, associate professor, School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Access to the Museum

Michigan Avenue Entrance
Ramp access is available at the Michigan Avenue entrance.
Drop-offs are not permitted.

Columbus Drive Entrance--available for prearranged groups only
This entrance is available for prearranged groups, including visitors with disabilities. To schedule a drop-off or pick-up, call (312) 443-3507.

Monroe Street Dock
The Monroe Street dock (125 E. Monroe) is available only to individuals needing assistance. You will be escorted from the dock into the museum.

Questions? Please call (312) 443-3507 or TDD/TTY 312-443-3890, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. weekdays.

Parking

Accessible parking is located in the following garages near the Art Institute:

• Millennium Park garage (enter at Columbus Drive and Monroe Street), with 8' clearance in some sections and an elevator at the exit
• East Monroe Street garage (enter at Columbus Drive and Monroe Street), with 6' 8" clearance and exit ramps at Monroe Street
• Grant Park North garage (enter at Michigan Avenue between Madison and Randolph), with 8' 3 " clearance for vans and an elevator at the exit

See additional parking information.

Inside the Museum

Elevators are located throughout the museum with access to all floors. A limited number of wheelchairs and strollers are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Telephones located in the lobbies have volume control and are lowered for access; a TDD/TTY-equipped phone is available in the Michigan Avenue lobby. Auditoria are equipped with designated wheelchair areas. Upon entry, please pick up a Museum Access Information Guide, also available in large type and braille.

Hearing-Assist Devices
Fullerton Hall is equipped with hearing-assist devices. Pick one up in the Michigan Avenue checkroom.

Gallery Audio Guide
A gallery guide of the entire collection is available for a self-guided tour of the Art Institute with a hand-held MP3 player. They can be rented for $6 ($5 for members) in the Michigan Avenue lobby of the museum, and are free for visitors who are blind or with low vision and their escorts.

Audio tours for some special exhibitions are also available.

Programs

We suggest that all guests attend our daily public lectures. For information on topics and dates, ask for the weekly calendar at any information desk in the museum, call (312) 443-3680, or consult our online calendar.

Signed Interpretations

As part of its commitment to accessibility for all audiences, the museum now offers American Sign Language interpretation for any of its scheduled gallery talks. Please call (312) 443-3681, TDD/TTY (312) 443-3890, or send an email to access@artic.edu two weeks in advance to schedule a signed interpretation.

Escorts for the Blind

Visitors who are blind or have low vision may arrange for free guided tours of the museum by calling the Department of Museum Education from 9:00 to 5:00 weekdays at (312) 857-7641. The museum has a corps of volunteer escorts for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Please arrange for a tour one to two weeks in advance.

Exhibitions and Multimedia Programs

The Touch Gallery is an exhibition of five portrait busts from the permanent collection that can be explored by sight and by touch. The exhibition is below the grand staircase. Accessibility by wheelchair is available at Michigan Avenue, the Monroe Street dock, and Columbus Drive (for prearranged groups). Labels are available in large-type print and Braille. The bronze and marble sculptures on display reflect cultures from around the world and provide an enriching experience for all audiences.

Two computer programs designed for wheelchair access are on permanent view. In Gallery 156, Cleopatra: Multimedia Guide to the Art of the Ancient World provides subtitles in English and Spanish. With Open Eyes, a guide to the collection of the Art Institute, is located in the Kraft Education Center. Please call the Department of Museum Education, (312) 443-3680, for specific program offerings or the Visitor Services TDD/TTY number (312) 443-3890 from 9:00 to 5:00 weekdays for more information.