Safety never takes a holiday.
Museums & the ADA
Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice (the Department) released proposed rules regarding compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These rules adopt provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines (2004 ADAAG) which were published by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers and Compliance Board (Access Board) on July 22, 2004. The rules apply to all areas of public accommodation in the U.S. Museum members should pay close attention to these proposed rules in light of a recent settlement between the Department of Justice and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. Below is a list of critical issues addressed in the new regulations, but we strongly encourage you to read the entire report and settlement to fully comprehend all of the potential implications of the new regulations. We are asking museum members to submit comments on these issues and other concerns regarding the regulations to the Department of Justice and the IAAPA Government Relations Department. To submit a comment for the record visit the Regulations.gov webpage, then e-mail it to us. If you would like to have your comments included in IAAPA's public comment, please e-mail it to us by August 5, 2008. This is the industry’s chance to affect the regulations before they are put into place. We hope you will respond promptly. |
Critical IssuesCaptioning. The NPRM calls for open captioning and narrative description of all new movies provided by a public accomodation. Although the discussion centers on movie theaters, the language is broader and potentially applicable to other attractions. Open captioning and narrative description were also referenced in the Spy Museum settlement. |
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ADA ResourcesReport Department of Justice ADA Reference Page International Spy Museum ADA Settlement Amusement Facilities Information Waterpark Information
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