All parts of the Museum are accessible to visitors using wheelchairs or mobility equipment. The access ramp entrance is located at the east end of the front of the Museum.
Wheelchairs
For your convenience, two wheelchairs are available for use on a first come first served basis while visiting the museum. They are lent, free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis at the front desk. Please have a driver’s license available for holding. We regret that wheelchairs cannot be reserved in advance, nor may they leave the building.
Admission
Complimentary admission for a caretaker with a paid guest.
Service Animals
Service animals that are trained to do work or perform specific tasks for the benefit of an individual with disabilities are welcome at SDMA. For more information about service animals please visit the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) informational webpage on service animals.
Pets and emotional support animals are not permitted within the Museum.
Social Stories Spectrum Project
Beginning in January 2017, the Social Stories Spectrum Project provided a structured opportunity for high-functioning verbal young adults (ages 18-25) with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to meet up with their peers and practice social skills, participate in organized trips to seven museums in Balboa Park, and work together to create “social stories” for the museums visited.
Social stories are guides or tools to help prepare individuals with autism for social interaction and public events; in this case, a visit to a museum.
This opportunity was made possible in part through generous funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), National Foundation for Autism Research (NFAR), and the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership.
Tours
Tours in Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, or Tagalog are available by special request, depending upon availability of a bilingual docent. Four weeks advance notice is required for this service. Please email info@sdmart.org
Restrooms
ADA accessible restrooms in the Rotunda & Gallery 15.
Assistive Listening Devices
The Museum is pleased to offer assistive listening devices at all screenings and lectures. Devices include a personal headset with adjustable volume setting. Limited quantity available; patrons are encouraged to call the Museum in advance of the event to reserve a device.
Gallery Labels
The Museum is making exhibition and art work insights more accessible by sharing all gallery label text online in both English and Spanish. View gallery labels on your device of choice to more easily read exhibition label text and avoid crowding while at the Museum.
App
The San Diego Museum of Art mobile app is a great resource with various languages, audio from curators, maps, self guided tours, and additional information on the paintings.
