Accessibility

Description

The MCA strives to provide a welcoming and accessible experience for all our visitors; our values statement is an expression of our commitment to accessibility. For routes within the museum and details about MCA accessibility initiatives, see below, or ask any Visitors Service associate during your trip; they're more than happy to help you navigate the museum.

Navigating the MCA

Check out our recommended routes to different areas of the museum so you can explore the galleries, enjoy a performance in the theater, shop in the MCA Store, eat at Marisol—or find the nearest restroom.

Access

There are three ways to enter the museum. Climb the staircase to the main entrance located on Mies van der Rohe Way, or use the accessible, plaza-level entrances at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Mies van der Rohe Way (through the MCA Store) and at the corner of East Pearson Street and Mies van der Rohe Way (the restaurant and theater entrance).

During the summer, take a shortcut through the garden entrance. Usually locked, gates are open every day Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The MCA Store is located at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Mies van der Rohe Way, with an accessible entrance on the MCA plaza. From inside the museum you can access the store through the Kovler Atrium and the south elevator. If you're coming from the Edlis Neeson Theater, take the elevator or stairs to the second floor and cross the atrium. You can also venture outside to cross the plaza and enjoy the museum's modern architecture along the way.

Multiuser men's and women's restrooms are available in the first-floor lobby and come equipped with baby-changing stations. Take the stairs or north elevator down to the first floor. Restrooms are on either side of the theater entrance (men's to the left; women's to the right).

Single-use, all-gender restrooms are located in the Commons on the second floor, which can be reached by the north and south elevators. Restrooms are located on either side of the south wall.

If you have any questions or are in need of a private restroom or a place to breastfeed, please seek out a friendly Visitor Services staff member who would be glad to help.

Accommodations

Services to assist in mobility

Wheelchairs are available free of charge for your visit at the coat checks on the second floor. Supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Services for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing

When possible we provide sign language interpretation, open captioning, and assistive listening devices for performances and activities in our theater. If you are interested in these programs or would like to arrange for these services for talks, tours or educational programs, please call Visitor Services at 312-280-2660 for more information or to make arrangements two weeks in advance of your visit.

Services for people who are blind, low-vision, or color blind

EnChroma color blindness–correcting glasses are available for individual visits and tours. When possible we provide audio description for performances and activities in our theater. If you are interested in these services, please call Visitor Services at 312-280-2660 for more information or to make arrangements before your visit (preferably two weeks in advance). In addition to on-site offerings, we provide descriptions of artworks on our website in both short and long description formats through an initiative to describe images called the Coyote Project.

Buying Tickets

When purchasing admission tickets or to an event please indicate if you are interested in any of our accessibility services; better yet give the Box Office a call at 312-397-4010 to plan your visit with us. As some services require advance planning, we recommend that you make arrangements two weeks in advance of your visit.

Garage parking

We offer $15 flat rate parking in our garage for those who use accessible parking. Stop by the admissions desk or coat check and ask for our accessible parking validation.

Website

With the redesign of our website, the museum has committed to adhering to ADA standards for web accessibility. Our web team is also working on some groundbreaking accessibility initiatives that mirror our institutional mission to be a leading contemporary art museum that offers greater access to the visual arts. Read more about these initiatives.

Edlis Neeson Theater

We encourage you to contact our Box Office team at 312-397-4010 before attending events in the Edlis Neeson Theater. A team member can lead you to our wheelchair accessible seating or have an assistive listening device ready, free of charge.

For information on accessibility options such as American Sign Language interpretation, open captioning, and audio description, call the Box Office at 312-397-4010 at least two weeks in advance.

Museums for All

We believe art should be accessible to everyone. Your admission fee supports our exhibitions and programs. But to encourage more people to visit and visit often, the MCA has a pay-what-you-can policy—no one will be turned away.

We also offer suggested admission of $3 each for up to six individuals when visitors present their LINK (EBT) Card as part of the Museums for All program.

The MCA is a proud participant in the Museums for All program, another way to increase access to the museum. Museums for All is a cooperative initiative between ACM and IMLS that encourages families of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum habits. By removing the financial barrier, Museums for All also removes the social and academic barrier children face when they are not exposed to high quality museum experiences.

Featured image

Short "MCA Chicago" is spelled out in white letters on a black background in three lines, with the letter H and I highlighted in yellow at the center, as if the logo is saying "hi."

Ask for a Visitor Service team member if you require accommodations. They can point you in the right direction or answer any questions you might have, © MCA Chicago.