About Us
Project Access is a joint project of Art Beyond Sight/Art Education for the Blind and its founding partners: American Association for State and Local History, American Association of Museums, Association of Science - Technology Centers, and Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Our endeavor, to promote access for people with disabilities to institutions ranging from art to zoos, is based on the participation and help from these institutions, the supporters of these institutions and the many who came forward to help, as listed below. Our goal is to implement practical and genuine welcome for everyone everywhere to America’s excellent museums, science and technology centers, zoos, aquariums, historic sites, botanical gardens, national parks, performing arts centers, and sports arenas.
The idea to create a national database of the accessible facilities and programs available to people with disabilities, and at the same time provide information and ideas to professionals in the field, came from the working group formed by staff members of major museums, arts organizations, government funding agencies and foundations following their meeting at the White House in June 2009 with Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy.
Elisabeth Axel, founder and President of Art Beyond Sight/Art Education for the Blind, took the lead in creating this database with the partner organizations. Others who came forth to give advice and expertise to the shaping of Project Access, such as its database entry form and website design, included the following people:
- Myra Brodsky, Art Education for the Blind Consultant, New York City
- Carol Castellano, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
- Linda Duke, Indianapolis Museum of Art
- Gregory Fehribach, Doninger Tuohy & Bailey, LLP, Indianapolis
- Joe Mielczarek, Northwest Training Center, Wausau, WI
- Stephanie Moore, VSA arts, Washington, DC
- Cynthia Overton, American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC
- Christine Reich, Museum of Science, Boston
- Francesca Rosenberg, Museum of Modern Art, New York City
- Janice L. Schacter, Hearing Access Program, New York City
- Richard Donald Smith, Art Education for the Blind Consultant/Board Member, New York City
- Beverlee Stafford, National Rehabilitation Association, Washington, DC
- Barry Van Deman, North Carolina Museum of Life + Science, Durham
- Carrie Sherman who gave us a look at what access programs are like in New York City museums through a series of video vignettes. Ms. Sherman dedicated her participation in the videos to the memory of her grandmother, Carol Pforzheimer.
An Open Letter from Elisabeth Axel
With the launch of Project Access online and its sister site, Project Access Connect and Resource Center, we hope to help a united journey towards true access. So many of us have worked for so long, and have learned from watching other “change” movements, that it’s unity in a community that gives strength; that it’s essential to mobilize others to embrace your cause. This site was designed to connect visitors to a variety of inclusive, accessible, multi-sensory programs at cultural institutions around the country; to inspire theaters, sports arenas, museums, zoos and botanical gardens to create new programs that welcome visitors of all abilities and ages.
My thanks to all of you who provided your insights to our work on the prototype of this website. I want to encourage the continuing submission of thoughts on what works best and your experiences with local cultural venues and their accommodations.
In developing this site with my colleagues, I kept in mind my grandmother who was blind, and later hard of hearing and frail. When going to a museum, my grandmother, who believed in excellence, always did her part in preparing for it by getting an appointment at a beauty parlor and putting on her best outfit. Even though she could not see her clothing, she always cut a striking figure by matching the right Braille-labeled pieces of clothing and shoes. My part in preparing for a day out on the town was in looking into programs in which she could participate –- accessible entrances, seating in the galleries, amplification for the hearing impaired, Braille menus in museum cafes, etc., that would enable us to enjoy the time together. As I have four kids, in many instances the museum needed to be kid-friendly, too. Sometimes this meant spending hours on the phone to get information. My hope is that this website will help families and museum visitors to make their experience expedient and enjoyable. I know it would have made it much easier for grandma and me.
We see our role as putting in place and maintaining a structure replete with creative ideas that better connects users with cultural institutions. The rest is in the hands of the arts community, visitors with disabilities, and their friends and families.
Elisabeth Axel
A Special Thanks To:
The Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation, Inc. • The Gordon and Llura Gund Foundation • American Express Foundation • Renate, Hans & Maria Hofmann Trust • Johnson Art and Education Foundation • AGFoundation • Corning Incorporated Foundation • New York City Commissioner Matthew Sapolin and The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities