Overview of Guidelines
I. Exhibition Content
A. Exhibitions must make exhibit content accessible at multiple intellectual levels and
present it through more than one sensory channel.
B. Exhibitions must include the experiences of people with disabilities within their content
and presentation.
II. Exhibition Items
A. Items in exhibitions (e.g. artifacts, graphics, props) must be visually accessible to people.
B. Items essential to the exhibition's main theme must be accessible to people by tactile
examination (e.g. touching artifacts, reproductions, models) and/or comprehensive
audio description.
C. Items must not be placed in locations such that they create a hazard for visitors.
III. Label Text and Design
A. Essential information in exhibition label text must be accessible to people who have
difficulty reading English.
B. Label design must present main exhibition copy legibly for all visitors. Such exhibition
label information must be available within the galleries in alternative formats (e.g.
Braille, audio) for people who cannot read print.
IV. Audiovisuals and Interactives
A. All exhibition interactives, audio-only programs (e.g. music with lyrics and texts of
speeches), and audiovisuals with soundtracks produced by the Smithsonian must be
either open or closed captioned.
If an audio presentation not produced by the Smithsonian is shown in the
exhibition for more than three months it must be captioned. If an audio
presentation not produced by the Smithsonian is shown for fewer than three
months it may be accompanied by a verbatim script mounted directly next to it.
Soundtracks of ambient sounds must be identified whether captioning or a script
is used. Sounds may also be identified in label text.
B. Interactives and audiovisuals that do not have soundtracks must carry labels stating that
fact to assure deaf and hard-of-hearing people that they are not missing information.
C. Audiovisual programs and computer interactives that present information with images
and print must be audio described.
D. Instructions for proper use of interactives must be accessible to all visitors.
E. Controls for and operation of all interactives must be accessible and usable by all
visitors.
F. Use of interactives must be from a location accessible to people using wheelchairs or
other assistive devices (e.g. canes, crutches); interactives must not be blocked by
furniture or other obstacles.