Four Subway Sleuths students sit on a subway car.

Access Programs

The Transit Museum is dedicated to honoring the strengths of people with disabilities and making its extensive collection accessible to all.

Support Access Programs

 

Four Subway Sleuths students sit on a vintage subway car.

SUBWAY SLEUTHS

Applications are closed for the Spring 2024 semester.

Subway Sleuths is an after-school program that builds on a shared interest in trains and public transit among 2nd through 5th grade students on the autism spectrum to support social interaction between peers. 

 

Participants explore the Transit Museum’s content and collection, sharing their enthusiasm with others while engaging in transit-themed games and activities. Groups are facilitated by Transit Museum Educators and professionals trained in ASD support.

Learn more about Subway Sleuths.


 
Three teens wearing Transit Quest tshirts and a museum educator in the computer lab.

TRANSIT QUEST

Developed for teens ages 14 to 17 who identify as neurodivergent, this week-long summer program will immerse participants in New York Transit Museum content and provide exciting opportunities to engage with fellow transit fans and guest speakers from the Museum and the MTA. Behind-the-scenes experiences include nostalgia rides on Museum train cars and private tours of Old City Hall Station and other exclusive MTA sites.

 

Applications for August 2024 will open later this spring. The Museum must review all applications as space is limited. We may contact potential candidates to confirm a strong passion for transit and ensure that this is an appropriate program.

The cost is $500 for all five days. Limited partial scholarships are available.

For more information, please email us.


A museum educator shows a child transit objects at the History on Wheels cart.

SPECIAL DAY

Join the Transit Museum for a fun family program! We invite children with developmental disabilities or those on the autism spectrum and their families to join us for transit-themed activities, performances, and exploring the Museum before we open to the public. All ages welcome for this free event, and registration is required.

For more information, please email us or join our mailing list.


A man swipes a MetroCard at a turnstile with two women watching on either side of him.

READY TO RIDE:
FAMILY EVENT

Practice how to travel by subway—from mapping a route to buying MetroCards from a station agent—in the safe environment of the Transit Museum. Become familiar with MetroCards, turnstiles, maps, and conductor boards, and role play various real-world scenarios on board a subway car.

 

This program is developed for participants ages 13 through adults with developmental/learning disabilities or autism, who are interested in independent subway travel. All participants must be accompanied by an adult caregiver, care manager, or parent. The cost of the program is $10 per participant and includes same-day admission to the Museum. Space is limited; registration is required.

Please email us for more information and to join the contact list for the next event.


ONGOING PROGRAMS:

SCHOOL VISITS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

We offer a range of programs that meet the learning needs of your students. Learn more about school programs.

 

A group of adults stand in front of a blue and orange wooden train car.

TOURS FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES

Customized tours are offered for adults with developmental and/or learning disabilities. Learn more about adult group programs.

 

A teenager traces a route on a subway map.

SUBWAY TRACKS GROUP PROGRAM

Explore New York City’s subway system from past to present. Track the history of our complex transit system on a tour of our vintage train collection while also discussing how we safely ride the subway today, from entering the system with a MetroCard or OMNY tap, to recognizing potential concerns and social cues.

This program is offered to 6th graders through adult learners with developmental and/or learning disabilities.

Learn more about booking a school program.

Learn more about booking an adult group program.

 

A Museum Educator shows images to visitors on a vintage subway car.

DAY HABILITATION DAY

Day Habilitation Day allows individuals and groups to explore the Transit Museum and learn about the programs we offer for adults with disabilities. The event is FREE but registration is required. This event takes place twice a year, in the Fall and Spring seasons. For more information, please email our Special Education and Access Manager.

To learn more about accessibility at the New York Transit Museum, please visit our accessibility page.

 

Funding for access programs is provided by the Taft Foundation, the FAR Fund, the Lemberg Foundation, and generous individual donors.

Support Access Programs