MoMA is committed to making its collection and programming accessible to all audiences. Staff and educator training is an essential aspect of this goal.
Disability equity training resources
Disability equity is a fundamental principle at MoMA, and we work to remove physical, programmatic, and attitudinal barriers within the Museum. At the core of this work are disability equity workshops, in which staff reflect on their own experiences, and learn to identify and transform language, attitudes, and behaviors that negatively impact visitors with disabilities. An important aspect of these workshops is listening to disabled visitors who share a passion for art. Below you’ll find interviews with nine disability advocates who speak about why they like to visit museums, what they want museum staff to know, and more. We are also sharing videos intended for internal staff training, featuring hypothetical situations in which individuals might encounter environmental and attitudinal barriers at a museum.
For more information on how to use these videos with your staff to further disability equity training, please reach out to our Access Programs and Initiatives team at [email protected].
Disability Equity and Museums Series
In this series, you’ll hear firsthand from New Yorkers about their experiences and perspectives on disability equity.
Join us at MoMA and meet disability advocates who have worked with us to foster disability equity at the Museum.
Episode 2: Meet Julian
Meet Julian, who is in a job training and continuing education program and has autism. He speaks about feeling that he always has to prove himself.
Episode 3: Meet Karla
Meet Karla, a retired professor who has low vision. She discusses what disability equality means to her.
Episode 4: Meet Kevin
Meet Kevin, an artist and academic, who discusses living with a non-apparent disability.
Episode 5: Meet Luz
Meet Luz, who works at a disability advocacy organization and lives with spina bifida. She speaks about the assumptions people make about wheelchair users.
Episode 6: Meet Michelle
Meet Michelle, an entrepreneur with schizophrenia, and learn why she thinks we should all be talking about mental health.
Episode 7: Meet Nefertiti
Meet Nefertiti, an assistive technology instructor who is blind. She speaks about why her disability is empowering.
Episode 8: Meet Richard
Meet Richard, a composer, who talks about how his hearing loss affects his experience of museums.
Episode 9: Meet Shelly
Meet Shelly, an educator who discusses being proud of her Deaf identity.
Disability Equity Training Videos
In this series, disability advocates and MoMA staff act out hypothetical situations at the Museum with the goal of identifying attitudinal or environmental barriers to support awareness and empathy. For more information on how to use a video like this in staff training, contact MoMA’s Access Programs and Initiatives team at [email protected]
Luz works wtih MoMA staff on how to best welcome wheelchair users in the lobby.
Nefertiti works with MoMA staff on how to best welcome visitors who are blind or have low vision in the lobby.
Karla works with MoMA staff on how to best welcome service animals into the Museum.
Richard works with MoMA staff on how to position and use T-Coil loops at the Lobby Desk.
Shelly works with MoMA staff on how to best welcome Deaf visitors who use American Sign Language to the Museum.
Luz works with MoMA staff on how to best welcome wheelchair users in the galleries.
Luz works with MoMA staff on how to best welcome wheelchair users in the galleries.
Karla works with MoMA staff on how to best welcome visitors who are blind or have low vision in the galleries.
Julian works with MoMA staff on how to best welcome visitors with autism to the cafe.
Learn about planning and implementing art discussion and art-making programs for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia; methods can be applied to any setting or situation.
Engaging Individuals with Dementia with Art: Art Discussion
This full training video details how to develop and facilitate art discussions for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Discussion: Background Information
This video shares background information about the logistics and best practices for developing art discussions for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Discussion: Educator Preparation
This video details how to prepare, as an educator, for art discussions with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Discussion: Leading a Discussion
This video details how to lead art discussions for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Discussion: Tips and Tools
This video shares tips and tools for facilitating art discussions for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Engaging Individuals with Dementia with Art: Art Making
This full training video details how to develop and facilitate art making with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Making: Overview
This video provides a brief overview of developing and facilitating art making with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Making: Background Information
This video shares background information about the logistics and best practices for developing art making projects for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Making: Educator Preparation
This video details how to prepare, as an educator, for art making projects with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Making: Leading a Project
This video details how to lead art making with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
Art Making: Tips and Tools
This video shares tips and tools for facilitating art making with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their family members or care partners.
The Adobe Foundation is proud to support equity, learning, and creativity at MoMA.
Access and Community Programs are supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
Major funding is provided by Volkswagen of America, The Taft Foundation, and by the Werner and Elaine Dannheisser Fund for Older Adults at MoMA in honor of Agnes Gund.
Additional support is provided by the Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust, the Allene Reuss Memorial Trust, the J.E. and Z.B. Butler Foundation, the Megara Foundation, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc., the Von Seebeck-Share B Charitable Trust, The Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation, and the Annual Education Fund.
