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Accessibility at the Exploratorium

Accessibility at the Exploratorium

The Exploratorium is committed to making its exhibits, buildings, programs, and services accessible to all.

Whether you prefer a little assistance or a lot, please let us know in advance what you need. Email us or call 415.528.4444 so we can provide the best possible museum experience.

Getting Here

By Public Transportation

The Exploratorium is easily accessed by BART trains and MUNI trains and buses. For bus accessibility within San Francisco, visit Muni or call 415.701.2311. For accessibility on trains going into or out of San Francisco, visit BART or call 415.989.2278.

 

By Car

The museum is accessible by car with disabled person parking nearby. There is a white-curbed loading zone on the Embarcadero just south of the museum for dropping off and picking up visitors. There is free street parking for holders of disabled person parking placards.

Reduced Rates

Tickets

We offer complimentary admission for accompanying ADA aides. Visitors with disabilities can purchase tickets at a reduced rate. Tickets are available online. If you need special accommodations, please call 415.528.4407.

 

Memberships

Reduced rate Exploratorium memberships are also available. To learn more, call 415.528.4321, or email membership@exploratorium.edu.

Service Animals

The Exploratorium welcomes both service animals and pets. All animals must be leashed and under the owner’s control.

During Your Visit

All spaces in the Exploratorium are navigable by visitors using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. A limited number of wheelchairs are available for loan, free of charge, at the Information Desk. Visitors need to leave an I.D. as a deposit. All public entries and exits have automatic door openers.

A wheelchair lift and assistive listening systems are available in the Kanbar Forum.

Benches are located throughout the Exploratorium.

If you need assistance operating an exhibit or have any questions while visiting the museum, please ask any orange-vested staff member.

Tactile Dome

The Tactile Dome provides a unique perceptual experience as you travel through a series of various textures in total darkness. A portion of the Tactile Dome is wheelchair accessible. Traversing the entire exhibit requires the ability to crawl, climb, and slide. Visitors with adequate upper-body strength to perform those moves are welcome to enjoy the full experience. Sign language interpreters or other necessary attendants are admitted free of charge, with advance notice. Lights will be turned on for those needing ASL interpretation.

All-Gender Bathrooms

These are located in the Crossroads and Moore Gallery 4.

Visitors Needing Special Accommodation

Deaf or Hard of Hearing Visitors

We can guarantee an ASL interpreter with at least one week’s notice. To request this service, call our Reservations Office at 415.528.4407 or email us. We may be able to accommodate a request with less notice.

Blind or Low Vision Visitors

We have tactile maps for blind or low vision visitors at the Information Desk.

Sensory Needs Visitors

The Exploratorium is a place designed to engage the senses, but some areas of the museum have lower levels of sound and light stimuli, including our outdoor spaces. Here are some tips for planning your visit.

  • Consider becoming a Member to access members-only hours every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
  • Visit late in the afternoon. Things generally quiet down after 3:00 p.m. And fall weekends are quieter, too.
  • Visit our quieter gallery spaces: The Atrium, Moore Gallery 4, The Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery and Terrace, and unpaid outdoor space south of the building.
  • There are indoor seating areas throughout the museum. Ask staff for help finding one that suits your needs.
  • Get a hand-stamp—to allow for exit and re-entry—and take a break (or more) outside.
  • We provide ear plugs and ear muffs at the Information Desk.

Users of Pacemakers or Other Medical Devices

Exhibits with this symbol contain strong magnets that may be harmful to users of pacemakers or other medical devices.

magnetic warning

Breastfeeding Visitors

You are welcome to breastfeed wherever you like but if you would like a private space please visit the Information Desk.

Epileptic Visitors

Exhibits with strobe lights are safe for epileptics.

Especially for Families

Strollers are available at the Information Desk (first come, first served). Single-stall bathrooms are in the Crossroads and Moore Gallery 4. Changing tables are available in all restrooms. You are welcome to breastfeed wherever you like but if you would like a private space please visit the Information Desk. Learn more.

 

Need Other Accommodations?

If you have needs that haven’t been addressed here, please visit the Information Desk during your visit or call us at 415.528.4407.

 

Website Accessibility

The Exploratorium is committed to making its website more accessible and usable for people with disabilities. Over time, we will be implementing the relevant portions of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA (WCAG 2.1 AA). This will also bring our website into conformance with the Section 508 Web Accessibility Standards developed by the United States Access Board. These efforts are a work in progress. If you have questions or concerns about the accessibility of a particular web page on our website, please contact us at webmaster@exploratorium.edu. When reporting an accessibility issue, please specify the web page URL in your email. We will make all reasonable efforts to make that page accessible for you.