Design Access
Accessibility and inclusion at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Cooper Hewitt is committed to broadening its audiences and ensuring the museum is welcoming to all. Learn how we are using our exhibitions, campus, and museum resources to raise awareness of accessible design innovation, inspire dialogue, and leverage Cooper Hewitt’s role as platform for design to promote problem-solving in support of inclusivity.
Accessibility Articles + Resources
Robust online resources share stories of designers and disability service organizations celebrating inclusivity. Diverse perspectives highlighted in videos and articles illustrate the impact of design in addressing the barriers many people with disabilities experience worldwide.
Inclusive Design at Cooper Hewitt
Cooper Hewitt collaborates with inclusive designers, industry experts, and members of the disability community to exhibitions, programs and museum experiences are welcoming to all.
Image Description Guidelines
In collaboration with Prime Access Consulting, Anna Chiaretta Lavatelli, Freer|Sackler and Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Guidelines for Image Description are intended for museum staff from all departments to author image descriptions for digital content.
Education Programs
Regularly scheduled educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Cooper Hewitt Accessibility Services
Cooper Hewitt offers a variety of access services so that everyone may enjoy the museum to the fullest extent possible, including large print materials, audio description, and design objects to touch and explore.
Accessible Virtual Programming Toolkit
This toolkit for museum professionals provides step-by-step guidance on how to develop and execute virtual programs that are accessible for disabled participants.
