New York City is a great place to experience a variety of cultures in a lively environment. If you have hearing loss and are planning a NYC getaway, you should know that all of the Big Apple’s best museums have hearing loss solutions in place to make your experience great. Here is an overview:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met is the largest art museum in the United States, one of the 10 largest in the world and arguably New York City’s most famous museum. After all, it is here that you can see some of the most prestigious collections in the world, including those of European art and sculpture, Islamic art and a collection of 35,000 works of Asian art. Some of the highlights include Renoir’s “Two Young Girls at the Piano,” van Gogh’s “Self Portrait with Straw Hat,” and the Greek and Egyptian collections.
The Met is located on the edge of Central Park. It has headsets and neck loops that operate on an FM system for museum tours, as well as induction loops for hearing aids equipped with telecoils. Additionally, lectures can be equipped with real-time captioning – just make sure to request it in advance of your visit. The Museum also offers sign language interpretation for its programs.
Museum of Modern Art
MOMA is located in Midtown Manhattan and provides a refreshingly contemporary space. You don’t necessarily have to “get” each of the pieces – some are quite abstract, but it can be fun to come up with your own ideas about what the artists were thinking or trying to depict. See famous pieces by pop artists Andy Warhol (“Marilyn” and “Campbell’s Soup Cans”), Claes Oldenburg and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as some of the most world-renowned modern art: Pieces like van Gogh’s “The Starry Night,” Henri Matisse’s “The Dance I” and Frida Kahlo’s “Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair.”
MOMA has FM assistive listening devices, including headsets and neck loops, available for all Gallery Talks. People who need sign language interpretation just need to request it two weeks in advance of their visit. Additionally, transcripts of all audio are available, and all audio is compatible with the t-switch on hearing aids.
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is located on the Upper West Side. It’s housed in a beautiful old building with a vast array of amazing collections, all pertaining to the environment, human life and the planet. Some not to be missed exhibits include the stunning specimens in the Harry Frank Guggenheim Hall of Gems and Minerals, Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites, African Mammal Hall and the incredible collection of dinosaur fossils.
For individuals with hearing loss, all of the theaters – there are four – are equipped with infrared assistive listening devices and open captioning. The LeFrak IMAX® Theater has rear window captioning as well. Various specialized sign language tours are also offered here.
