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Accessibility

The Walters Art Museum strives to make our buildings, galleries, website, and programs accessible for all people, in alignment with our Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion goals, Visitor Promise, and mission to bring art and people together.

This page provides visitors with the information needed to support their best experience at the Walters Art Museum. Visit our Visitor Guidelines Page for additional information to plan your visit.  For more information regarding accommodations and accessibility resources for group tours, contact [email protected].

We recognize that accessibility is a constantly evolving field and are committed to continuing to improve our practice. We welcome feedback, questions, and requests for access needs that are not mentioned below. Please contact the Visitor Experience Desk at [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265. We respond to all queries within two business days. During your visit, please ask any Walters staff member or volunteer for assistance. We are happy to help!

Table of Contents

Contact Us
Phone number 410-547-9000 ext. 265
Email [email protected]

Resources
Museum Map
Visitor Guidelines

Access to Art

Most galleries are accessible via elevator. Entry to the Great Hall on Level 3A of the Centre Street building requires the use of a staff operated inclined platform lift.

1 West Mount Vernon Place has narrower doorways and tighter turning radiuses than the rest of the museum, due to the historic construction of the home. Visitors using standard width wheelchairs and walkers can navigate both floors, but please note, wide wheelchairs will not fit through the doorways on the first floor.

To view the artworks in any gallery online, visit the works of art website.

American Sign Language (ASL)

ASL interpretation for programs, tours, or events may be requested at least two weeks prior to the event date. To request ASL interpretation, please contact [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265.

Captioning

All videos on the Walters’ YouTube channel have automatic captioning. Many videos have updated manual captioning and more are being added regularly.

 

Entering the Museum

The Centre Street main and Upper Charles Street entrances are accessible to visitors using mobility aids. The Lower Charles Street entrance has external steps leading up to the doors,  and interior steps leading into the museum.

The Centre Street main entrance is closest to the museum parking lot. Museum staff are available to assist visitors opening the main entrance doors. An access lift bypasses a set of stairs from street level to the lobby level. The Centre Street lift is 32 inches wide and 60 inches long. For visitors with mobility aids that exceed these dimensions or who plan to borrow a wide transport wheelchair, the Upper Charles Street entrance is recommended.

The Upper Charles Street entrance is street level with ramp access. The exterior door is equipped with a push button automatic door opener.

The Centre Street and Lower Charles Street entrances can be very bright on sunny days, carry loud sounds, and often have high visitor traffic. The Upper Charles Street entrance is often quiet and dimly lit.

All entrances have access to complimentary lockers.

Please note that the public sidewalks leading to the museum entrances can be uneven, including grates, steep inclines, and high curbs. For recommendations on entry routes, please contact [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265.

 

Food and Drink

Food or drink in sealed containers can be carried in a bag, stroller, mobility aid, pockets, or stored in a complimentary locker. Water from a bottle may be consumed in lobby spaces including the 1 West Mount Vernon Conservatory, Lobby spaces on levels 1, 2, 3 of the Centre Street building, the Graham Auditorium, and the Sculpture Court. Exceptions to this policy are made in cases of medical need.

Although the Walters Cafe is temporarily closed, eating and drinking is permitted in the space, which is located on level 1A of the Charles Street building. 

For more information regarding food and beverage policy, please contact [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265.

 

Health and Safety

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all visitors and staff are encouraged to wear masks when indoors. Complimentary masks are available. We continue to monitor and update health and safety guidelines in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control, the State of Maryland, and the City of Baltimore. Touchless hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the museum, and we follow CDC and OSHA guidelines on facility cleanliness with a focus on high-touch areas.

Lighting

Certain galleries are dimly lit to protect light-sensitive art. Small flashlights or flashlights embedded in a smartphone may be used to navigate these areas. For assistance identifying dim or bright locations within the museum, please contact [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265, or ask a staff member onsite.

 

Mobility Aids

Two standard size transport wheelchairs, two wide transport wheelchairs, and two walkers are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a mobility device for use in the museum in advance, please contact [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265. The museum does not offer staff wheelchair escorts.

 

Parking

The museum parking lot is run by a valet service. It has two designated accessible parking spots available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are two accessible street parking spots on the corner of West Monument and Charles Streets. For more information regarding parking, please visit the Directions and Parking Page.

Vehicles operated with hand controls require a reserved space for the driver to independently park. To reserve an accessible space for hand controlled vehicles, please contact the Visitor Experience Team at [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265 at least two days in advance of your visit.

 

Print and Web Content

To request a document in an accessible format including large print and digital, please contact [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265 at least two weeks prior to your visit. We will do our best to accommodate the request.

The design system of our website, thewalters.org and its visual contrast are compliant with the AA level of WCAG 2.0. The Walters is working towards making all web content usable by assistive navigation and screen reader technologies. Many of the images on our website have alt text. We are adding alt text to images in accordance with best practices following WebAIM guidelines.

 

Restrooms

Accessible restrooms are located in the Centre Street and 1 West Mount Vernon Place buildings.

 

Seating

The Walters offers a variety of seating options throughout the galleries and in the Walters Cafe. Some seating has back and arm support. Lightweight folding stools are available upon request at the Visitor Experience desk in the Centre Street lobby.

The Graham Auditorium has wheelchair accessible locations on the lower level. Companion seating is available for each location. If you have questions or would like to request accessible seating in advance, please contact [email protected] or 410-547-9000 ext. 265.

 

Sensory Resources

Noise canceling headphones, sensory objects, and fidgets are available upon request at the Visitor Experience desk located at the Centre Street Entrance and the security desks at the Upper and Lower Charles Street Entrances.

For visitors looking for quieter galleries, the Collectors Study, located off of the Sculpture Court on Level 2A, and the library on the first floor of 1 West Mount Vernon Place are recommended. Headphones are welcome throughout the building.

 

Service Animals

Service animals are welcome. Other animals are not permitted.

 

Touch Tours

Opportunities for touch tours are available and require advance registration. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 410-547-9000 x232.

 

Virtual Offerings

The museum offers both virtual and hybrid events that offer flexible ways to attend museum programming and platforms to explore the collection. Please visit the What’s On Calendar Page for the latest programming and events. Archived programming can be viewed on the Walters YouTube Channel. Explore the Walters Art Site, our online collection consisting of thousands of artworks from around the world and across the centuries.

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