Museum staff member assist child using the wheel chair lift

ACCESSIBILITY

The New York Transit Museum is committed to providing a welcoming and accessible experience for all visitors. Both the Transit Museum in Brooklyn and the Gallery & Store at Grand Central Terminal are wheelchair accessible. Below you’ll find information about accessibility, admission, and services to help ensure a smooth and welcoming experience for all visitors.

Group of seniors on the museum platform including some using canes

New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn

ADMISSION & ASSISTANCE

  • Adults with disabilities pay $5 admission (excluding groups of 5 or more).
  • Personal Care Attendants get free admission with code PCA at checkout.
  • Due to the Museum’s popularity and historic subway station home, we are unable to accommodate unscheduled or self-guided group visits. To learn more about visiting with a group, please review the FAQ on our Know Before You Visit page.
  • Service animals are welcome; comfort or emotional support animals are not permitted.
  • Prepare for your trip by reviewing our social narrative for an independent visit to the Transit Museum.
Tickets
Visitor using the museum's wheel chair lift to get to the platform level

USING THE LIFT

The Transit Museum’s wheelchair-accessible entrance is located at the corner of Schermerhorn and Court Streets in Downtown Brooklyn. To enter, please press the call button to the left of the gate. A staff member will be dispatched to operate the lift. For the best service, we recommend contacting our Access team before your visit. You can reach our Access Team via email or by calling (718) 694-1735.

Please note:

  • The lift has a total weight limit of 450 pounds and may not accommodate certain motorized wheelchairs.
  • Due to the lift’s slow operation and the Museum’s two levels of exhibits, please plan to allow an additional 10 to 20 minutes to access both floors.
  • Some vintage train cars on the platform level are not wheelchair accessible; however, all train cars are available to explore virtually via Google Maps.
  • Strollers are not permitted on the lift.

ADDITIONAL ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

For Visitors Who are Blind or Have Low Vision
  • Guided tours for visitors who are blind or have low vision are offered on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (excluding groups of 5 visitors or more), schedule at least 2 weeks in advance. Please email us or call our Access team at 718-694-1735 for more information and to request a tour.
  • Tactile exploration encouraged! Most exhibits, including train cars, can be touched.
  • Visitors can borrow tactile guides in braille and raised graphics, plus smart pens with audio descriptions.
For Visitors Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
  • American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available for scheduled programs with 2 weeks advance notice. Please email us or call 718-694-1735 with your request.
  • FM assistive listening devices available for tours and offsite excursions upon request. Please email us for more information.
For Visitors with Sensory Processing Differences
  • Sensory-friendly toolkits including noise-quieting headphones, a fidget, a visual schedule, and list of quieter spaces can be checked out, free of charge, from Transit Museum staff in Downtown Brooklyn.
  • The Museum is currently quietest at 1pm to 4pm, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Please note that weekends and holidays can be very crowded. A quiet room is offered during our Special Day program.
  • Prepare for your trip by reviewing our social narrative for an independent visit to the Transit Museum.
For Day Habilitation Groups
  • We strongly encourage Day Habilitation groups to book guided tours, and fee waivers are offered on a first come first served basis to groups of adults with disabilities. Learn more about Adult Tours.
  • Groups of 5 to 12 people total (1:5 chaperone to participant ratio required) can arrange a self-guided visit with at least one week’s notice by emailing [email protected].
  • Groups larger than 12 must book a guided tour. Any Day Habilitation groups larger than 4 people that arrive without prior communication and confirmation of their visit will be not able to enter the museum.
  • All groups can participate in our Day Habilitation Day, a free program for adults with disabilities to experience the Museum twice per year. Registration is required. Learn more about Access Programs.
Elevator at Grand Central Terminal

GRAND CENTRAL GALLERY & STORE

The Grand Central Gallery & Store is located in the Shuttle Passage on the Main Concourse level. The Main Concourse is wheelchair accessible from both the Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street entrances but is not accessible from Vanderbilt Avenue.

The Holiday Train Show is now on view! Prepare for your visit by reviewing our social narrative for this popular experience.

Transit Quest teens stand in front of a bus on a tour of the Jackie Gleason Bus Depot

ACCESS PROGRAMS

To learn more about Transit Museum programs offered for people with disabilities, please visit our Access Programs page.

The New York Transit Museum acknowledges that language around autism is deeply personal and evolving. Some individuals prefer identity-first language (e.g., an autistic person), while others prefer person-first language (e.g., a person with autism). In line with MTA accessibility practices, the Transit Museum currently uses person-first language, while fully respecting how each individual chooses to self-identify.

Learn More