The Museum seeks to make a safe and welcoming space for all. We work consistently with local partners to gather information on accessibility needs, provide staff training, and increase accommodations during exhibitions and events. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to be connected to these efforts and receive news about upcoming events. The Museum’s Public Accessibility Policy is available as a PDF.
The Museum offers a variety of on-site accommodations for visitors with disabilities. Trained service animals such as guide dogs are also permitted in the Museum. If you have questions about our policies or need assistance planning your visit, please email help@ncartmuseum.org.
Have questions or feedback about accessibility at the Museum or the accessibility of our website? Please contact accessibility coordinator Molly Hull.
Getting to the NCMA Campus
The NCMA is located at 2110 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, North Carolina. Visitor parking is free and can be accessed when turning right or left upon entering campus. Turn right to reach the upper lots adjacent to Blue Ridge Road. Turn left to reach the lower lots, which are closest to East and West buildings as well as Gipson Plaza. Free ADA-compliant parking is available.
Visitor drop-off is located between West and East buildings and can be reached by turning left after entering the campus drive and following the signs.
Building Accommodations
Entrance to view the People’s Collection in both buildings is free of charge. Some special exhibitions in East Building require a paid timed ticket for nonmembers. Entrance to the Museum Park is free.
Accessible restrooms are available in West Building and on the top three levels of East Building. Family restrooms are available in the Education Lobby of East Building. When you enter go past the Tickets/Information Desk and through the glass doors on the left. Please ask a security guard or front-desk personnel if you need assistance.
Please refer to the Neurodiversity Guide to prepare for your visit. This guide provides an overview of the campus and covers important things to remember within East and West buildings as well as the Museum Park.
Museum Park Accommodations
Visit the Museum Park page to plan your visit. Please note that the paved trails in the Museum Park follow the natural landscape, resulting in some grades steeper than the maximum recommendation by the ADA.
The All-Access Eco Trail is a self-guided experience that educates visitors about the Park’s native plants, wildlife, and habitats.
The Eco Trail consists of two options that both begin at the Welcome Center. The longest route is approximately three-quarters of a mile in one direction and contains 13 stops that conclude at the Park’s pond. For a shorter experience, follow three signs that end at the Ellipse. This route is wheelchair accessible and approximately one-quarter of a mile on paved, mostly level pathways.
Access the Eco Trail audio descriptions on the NCMA Park app, available from Apple’s App Store and at park.ncartmuseum.org (web version for Android) or on SoundCloud.
Visitors with Limited Mobility
- Elevators are available to all floors of East Building. West Building is a single story.
- Motorized and manual wheelchairs as well as rollators are available free of charge and may be checked out at the Tickets/Information Desk in East Building. We do not take reservations for wheelchairs; they are first come, first served.
- Accessible restrooms are available in West Building and on the top three levels of East Building.
- Museum entrances have automatic doors.
Visitors Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Docent-led adult tours in American Sign Language (ASL) occur the third Saturday of every month unless noted otherwise. Check the events calendar for the most up-to-date information.
- American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and CART captioning are available free of charge for any Museum program, school or public tour, or event. To make a request, please email Molly Hull. Please allow at least two weeks’ notice.
- Open captioning is available in English at all video stations in both buildings.
- Assistive listening devices (ALD) are available in SECU Auditorium. Additionally, this space has an induction loop to provide improved accessibility for visitors with telecoils. The loop is available for films, lectures, and other programs in the Auditorium
Visitors Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision
- Visit our audio description playlist on Soundcloud for over 20 audio-described artworks. A new work of art is added every month.
- Audio description is provided for select outdoor films by Arts Access. Visit our films page to find the films with this service.
- Docent-led tactile tours are available upon request for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Please allow at least two weeks’ notice.
- Mindful Museum: Virtual Sensory Journey through Art is a recurring event that takes place on the second Thursday of every other month. Registration is required. Check the events calendar for the most up-to-date information.
Visitors with Memory Loss and Their Care Partners
- The NCMA offers a variety of structured group experiences for those whose lives are affected by memory loss. We aim to provide experiences that combat social isolation and opportunities for joy, creativity, refuge, and connection.
- In-person and virtual programs are available and can be tailored to the needs of partner organizations and clients served. These include:
- Creative Impressions: Mindful art observation and art making for those with memory loss and their care partners.
- Virtual Slow Art Appreciation: Inquiry-based, relaxing, and social art observation for care partners.
- On-site Group Tour: Guided experience in the NCMA galleries for those with memory loss and their care partners.
Learn more about these offerings and how to schedule.
Visitors Who Are Neurodiverse
- Visual schedules are available for the Museum, Park, and special exhibitions in Meymandi Exhibition Gallery. Visual schedules or guides are intended for people on the autism spectrum. They include specific images and recommended schedules highlighting how to explore the campus. The guides are available online so visitors can have the information beforehand.
- Noise-canceling headphones and earplugs are available upon request at the tickets and information desk in East Building.
NCMA Accessibility Stakeholder Committee (ASC)
Would you like to share your experiences as a Museum visitor with a disability? Museum staff wants to hear from you—your valuable insights help guide future programs and projects.
One way to share is by joining the NCMA Accessibility Stakeholders Committee (ASC). The ASC supports the NCMA’s initiatives to be transparent in the evolving practice of building a fully accessible museum environment. It is primarily composed of individuals who can address barriers faced in attending museums, either because they have experienced these barriers themselves or because they know people who have. All North Carolinians are welcome to join.
The ASC convenes quarterly. If interested, please email Molly Hull and include your full name, contact information, any information you would like to share about yourself, and any accommodation you need to attend the meetings.