Accessibility

Entrance

The CHSI is located within Harvard's Science Center at 1 Oxford Street. The main entrance is on the east side of the building on Oxford Street and is accessible via a ramp. The collection's galleries are on the first and second floors. The second-floor gallery can be accessed by stairs or an elevator. The elevators are located down the hall, on the left.

Restrooms

Accessible restrooms are located on the basement level and can be accessed via elevators down the hall on the left.

Accessible Parking

The closest garage to the collection is the 52 Oxford Street Garage. The collection's main entrance is about 3 minutes away (0.1 miles) from the garage. The overhead clearance for accessible vehicles is eight feet two inches. This garage has ADA-accessible parking and an elevator to the ground floor. For additional information, see Harvard University Accessible Parking. 

Limited metered street parking is available.

Daily Permits

Accessible daily parking permits must be purchased in advance through the online portal for the following locations: 

• 52 Oxford Street Garage (convenient for the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments)
• Broadway Garage (convenient for Harvard Art Museums and surrounding areas) (Please note that the Broadway Garage is not equipped with an elevator)
• 10 Everett Street Garage (convenient for Harvard Law School and surrounding areas)

MBTA

MBTA subways and buses are accessible. 

Subway

The closest subway station to the museum is the Harvard Square Station, which is on the MBTA Red Line. The museum is about a ten-minute walk from Harvard Square (0.4 miles). Please note that Harvard Yard is occasionally closed, but sidewalks surround it.

Bus

Several MBTA buses have stops near the museum. Plan your trip on the MBTA website.

MBTA Customer Communications Center

Main Switchboard: 617-222-5000
Traveler’s Information Center: (Route/Schedule Info.): 617-222-3200
Toll Free: 1-800-392-6100
Hearing Impaired: TTY (617) 222-5246

Elevator

Elevators are located past the collection, down the hall, on the left.

Mobility Devices

The collection welcomes guests with disabilities to use personal mobility devices that are compact and designed for stability, such as wheelchairs, walkers, knee scooters, and other manually or powered mobility aids used for disability. These are permitted throughout the building. Because the collection contains closely spaced displays, devices not being used as mobility aids, or devices that are not compact or designed for stable multi-directional movement (such as bicycles and footboard scooters) are not permitted in the galleries.

All exhibitions are accessible.

Seating

Seating is available in the hallway outside the collection.

Visual Interpreting Service

Harvard has a site-wide license to Aira, a visual interpreting service, free to any user while on campus. Much like a video relay interpreter for members of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community, Aira's team of expertly trained Visual Interpreters provides on-demand visual information for the blind and low-vision community.

Here's how to use Aira:

1. Download the Aira Explorer app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
2. Open the app and register your phone number
3. Enter the four-digit code sent via text or email
4. Accept the terms and enable access to GPS, camera, and microphone
5. Make a free call to learn how it works

Lighting

Lighting in some galleries is dimmed to protect objects.

Programs for Visitors Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

The Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East has a tour for blind and visually impaired visitors. This tour explores the exhibition, Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World. Touchable replicas, a braille map, and items to smell are coupled with descriptions to spark discussion about innovations that had lasting impacts on the modern world. A sighted companion is welcome.

Available by appointment during the Harvard academic year

Monday–Friday 11:00 am–3:00 pm

Sundays 2:00 pm

ASL Interpretation Requests

ASL interpretation is available for programs upon request. Requests must be submitted at least two weeks in advance to hmsc@hmsc.harvard.edu.

Social Story: The CHSI is proud to be KultureCity Sensory Inclusive Certified. View our social story on the KultureCity website.

Sensory bags: Our trained staff can provide lap pads and sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones and strobe glasses, available to borrow during your visit. Please check in at the front desk to learn more.

The museum welcomes service dogs. Please note that emotional support animals and comfort animals are not permitted.

We encourage persons with disabilities to participate in the museum's programs and activities. Manual wheelchairs and assisted-listening devices are available free of charge in the lecture hall on a first-come, first-served basis. When you arrive, please see a staff member for assistance. If you anticipate needing any accommodation, please contact hmscprograms@hmsc.harvard.edu. Most of our lectures are streamed live on Zoom.

All video-recorded lectures have closed captions. Transcripts of video-recorded lectures are available on YouTube.

The UDR office provides leadership to the University's efforts to ensure an accessible environment for individuals with disabilities while complying with federal and state regulations. Learn more about UDR.

Harvard University is committed to making University Information Technology and University Digital Content accessible. Learn more about Harvard University's commitment to digital accessibility. All Harvard's websites strive to meet The World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1, Level AA Conformance (WCAG 2.1 Level AA).

For additional questions, please contact:

617-495-2779

hmsc@hmsc.harvard.edu