Accessibility - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Accessibility

Accessibility Services and Accommodations

The Museum is firmly committed to finding solutions to the challenges presented by some of our older buildings and to removing barriers that are presented to our visitors. We plan to make steady progress in improving those areas where our facilities are outdated or inadequate. If you have questions about access or wish to request an ASL interpreter or visual tour accommodations, please contact the Museum's Guest Services Manager at 520-883-1380 extension 7100 or by email to [email protected].

Please request ASL interpreters or visual tours at least three weeks in advance of the event for which you plan to visit, so we can ensure a positive experience.

Please give us as much notice as possible for any other request, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Please be prepared to discuss your needs with us, let us know if you have a companion attending with you, and provide us with your name and contact information so that we can follow up with you.

ADA Notice Under the Americans With Disabilities Act

Public Transportation

Public Transportation is not currently available to the Desert Museum

Passenger Unload/Load Zone and Parking

Guests with limited mobility who are arriving by vehicle can gain access to a passenger unload and load zone via the main Museum entrance drive. The passenger unload and load zone is approximately 98 feet from our Main Admissions Entrance and has a level surface that will give Guests easy access to the Museum. Parking is not permitted in this area. Accessible parking is available in Parking Lot 1, Row 1A & 1B. A valid disability-parking permit is required.

Service Animals

Service animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and service animals in training are welcome. We ask those guests that choose to bring their service animals to check in with Guest Services upon arrival.

The Desert Museum is subject to stringent regulations pertaining to the protection of the animals being cared for here. When it is demonstrated that a service animal’s presence is causing animals in a certain area undue stress or anxiety, or presents the potential for injury, we reserve the right to limit access to those areas.

*Please note that the Desert Museum is 85% outdoors in a natural Sonoran Desert environment that many find unsuitable for the safety of their service animals. Air temperatures are often more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, walkway surfaces regularly reach temperatures capable of causing harm to a dog’s feet, and venomous wild animals are present.

Service Animal Policy

Mobility Disabilities

All buildings and the majority of our restroom facilities (see accessibility map) are wheelchair accessible, with ramps located wherever there are stairs. The Desert Museum is primarily an outdoor experience with approximately half of our paths being paved and half unpaved with compacted materials. Some sections of our pathways are moderately hilly. We estimate that 96% of our exhibits are viewable by wheelchair. Entrance to our Earth Science Center / Mineral Gallery is gained through an artificial cave which has very low levels of light as well as some noticeable changes in the level of the floor finishes and ceiling heights. The adjacent Mineral Gallery includes glass display cases that extend to the floor which may be difficult to see due to low light levels. Our aviaries can be somewhat difficult to navigate due to double entrance doors that are required to keep birds from flying out of the exhibit. Please be especially careful in these exhibit areas.

The Museum maintains a small fleet of manual wheelchairs, child strollers, and a limited number of electric convenience vehicles (ECVs), which are available for rent at our front ticket window on a first-come, first serve basis.

Persons with a mobility disability may use any electric propulsion device on Museum grounds that are no wider than 30 inches including two or three wheeled electronic personal assistance mobility devices (EPAMDs - such as the Segway). All power driven wheelchairs are also permitted. No other power driven devices may be used, including but not limited to any gas or similarly powered combustible fuel devices. A copy of our Mobility Devices Guidelines may also be obtained from Guest Services located at the main admissions entrance.

Hearing Disabilities

If you wish to request an ASL interpreter, please contact the Museum's Guest Services Manager at 520-883-1380 extension 7100 or by email to [email protected].

Public Programs in the Warden Oasis Theater are transmitted on 216 MHz.

Assisted hearing devices are available free of charge in the Warden Oasis Theater. Please see any staff member in the theater for a device.

Visual Disabilities

If you wish to request visual tour accommodations, please contact the Museum's Guest Services Manager at 520-883-1380 extension 7100 or by email to [email protected].

Web Site Accessibility

We strive to make the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum web site accessible to all regardless of the device or browser used, including screen readers for the blind. The following compliance guidelines are followed:

Section 508 (Checklist)

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility

Land Acknowledgement

Resources

Visual Impairments

If you are a person with a disability and are experiencing difficulty accessing materials on our website you may contact the Museum's Guest Services Manager at 520-883-1380 extension 7100 or by email to [email protected] to request materials in alternate formats.