HHT is committed to improving physical and intellectual access to New York City’s public house museums in ways that are beneficial to people living with disabilities. 

Access & Innovation Initiative

In 2019, the New York Community Trust awarded HHT a substantial grant to improve physical and intellectual access to our partner house museums. This project will position these sites at the forefront of such initiatives across the nation. Click here to learn more about this significant work. 

Physical Access Projects

HHT and our partner museums strive to be as welcoming as possible to people with disabilities. In 2010, the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation created an Americans with Disabilities Act transition plan, which included all of HHT’s partner sites. Based on this plan, a number of physical access features were planned at our sites. Through funding from the New York Community Trust, HHT is currently updating this transition plan. 

Jeanette & Paul Wagner Educational Program for Children with Disabilities

This former program, funded by longtime supporters of HHT, worked to improve accessibility at our partner sites for schoolchildren with physical and cognitive disabilities. Over the course of several years, the Wagner Program developed inclusive public programs, offered training sessions for site educators, and shared innovative strategies at professional conferences. In addition, pilot projects to develop autism-friendly programming were launched at five partner sites. Click here to learn more about the Jeanette & Paul Wagner Educational Program for Children with Disabilities.

Verbal Descriptions of HHT’s Partner Sites

Audio descriptions of the exteriors of many historic buildings in New York City, including several of our partner sites, are available at New York Beyond Sight.