Accessability

Accessible Parking:
There is limited free parking on the National Mall. Mall parking is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Available spaces fill quickly, especially during the summer and over holidays. There are designated accessible spaces in front of the major museums; however, these are standard curb spaces on the left side of one-way streets.  There is also an accessible passenger loading zone in front of the S. Dillon Ripley Center (Mall entrance).  The closest parking garage with accessible spaces is Colonial Parking in Capital Gallery (6th and Maryland Avenue., SW).

Accommodation Services:
If you would like to have a sign language, oral, or cued speech interpreter or Realtime captioning for a Discovery Theater program, you should call at least two weeks in advance of the program you plan to attend. Please call us at 202-633-8700 or email DTinfo@si.edu and let us know what you need. Be specific. For example, if you want an ASL interpreter rather than a PSE or Signed English interpreter, be sure to tell us that information. We do not have interpreters on our staff. We must hire them from agencies so we need advance notice of requests.

If you want other accommodations, such as audio description, reader services, alternative formats of publications, assistive listening systems, or any other services, please contact us and place your request at least two weeks before the event.

TTY Numbers:
You may contact The Resident Associate program for any questions about Discovery Theater programs at 202-633-9467.  You may also call 202-357-1729 for Visitor’s Information.

Loaner Wheelchairs:
The S. Dillon Ripley Center has wheelchairs that can be borrowed, free of charge, for use within the facility. The wheelchairs, which are all manually operated, cannot be taken outside of the S. Dillon Ripley Center. The wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To borrow a wheelchair, please go to the Security desk upon entering the Ripley Center.  You will be asked to leave identification until you return the wheelchair.

Service Animals and Scooters:
Service animals and power scooters are allowed in all Smithsonian Museums.  If attending a Discovery Theatre program with a service animal, please notify us in advance, if possible.

Discovery Theater welcomes individuals in wheelchairs and will provide sign language and audio description (upon request) with two (2) weeks notice. Call 202-633-8700 to speak to Discovery Theater staff, or email us at DTinfo@si.edu, to request this service.