Physical Access to Museum Buildings

Our campus re-creates a historical seafaring village and working waterfront, including dirt roads, cobblestone walkways, wooden gangways, and shell surfaces that make traveling throughout parts of the campus difficult for some visitors. Buildings are reconstructed or maintained in their original 18th- or 19th-century form often having several entrance steps, narrow doorways and hallways, and other physical barriers.

Mystic Seaport has made significant effort to improve the handicap accessibility on the grounds. Currently, about one-third of the exhibit buildings are wheelchair accessible to the front door. However, interior access does vary. Further improvements to expand handicap accessibility are planned for the future and continue to be implemented as possible.

The list below outlines each of our historic buildings, vessels, and exhibit spaces’ entryways.

Please note: the list below is designed to provide an overview of access to various locations throughout the Museum grounds. This in no way indicates accessibility as defined by current State or Federal regulations. The Museum is a reproduced 19th-century village and roadways, buildings, and accessways are portrayed in as authentic a manner as possible. Mystic Seaport is working on enhancing accessibility in a variety of ways while maintaining the authenticity of the Museum experience.

Key

	Accessible	Entrance accessible via ramp or incline. Interior access varies. Note: accessibility does not indicate entrance meets current ADA regulations; only that a wheelchair or stroller can reach the location/exhibit entryway via ramp or ground level entry.
++	Limited Access	One or two steps. Assistance may be needed and helpful.
+++	Difficult Access	Three or more steps; narrow doorways; cobblestone walk; gangways with wood battens
S	Seasonal Staff	Interpretation staff available seasonally
F	Full-Time Staff	Staffed during Museum hours

SHIPYARD EXHIBITS
Map	Building	Access	Staffed	Description
51	Shiplift		S	Outdoor; ground level
50	Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard		S	Ground-level access to view interior work in progress
	Shipyard Gallery	+++	S	Entrances at both ends of exhibit have multiple flights of stairs
49	Shipbuilding Exhibit			Ground level; 38″ doorway
	Shipyard Restroom	++		Behind shipbuilding exhibit; 2 steps; 34″ doorway

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HISTORIC and VISITING VESSELS; WATERCRAFT
Map	Vessels	Access	Staffed	Description
	L.A. Dunton, 1921	+++	F	Gangway with wood battens; Multiple steps down to deck.
50	Sabino, 1908		S	Temporarily in Shipyard Gallery undergoing restoration. The ship is expected to return to her berth in summer 2016.
29	Joseph Conrad, 1882	+++	F	Gangway with wood battens; Multiple steps down to deck.
	Charles W. Morgan, 1841	+++	F	Gangway with wood battens; Multiple steps down to deck.
	Brilliant, 1932		S	Brilliant Dock located at Lighthouse Point at ground level. Access to vessel for sailing program participants only.
	Visiting Vessels	+++		Gangway with wood battens Note: public access to vessels varies with each vessel and by visit.
	Shuttle – South End	+++	S	Gangway with wood battens access to docks
	Shuttle – North End	+++	S	Gangway with wood battens access to docks
	Other Watercraft			For exterior viewing only. Viewing areas at ground level.

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VILLAGE EXHIBITS
Map	Exhibits	Access	Staffed	Description
48	Thomas Oyster House			Wooden ramp
47	Mystic River Scale Model			Wooden side ramp; Front access 5 steps; 60″ doorway
36	Lobster Shack			Side ramp
37	Life Saving Station			60+” front ramp
	Halfway House			Ground level
38	John Gardner Boat Shop		S	Side ramp; front access 3 steps; 31″ doorway
38	Toy Boats activity (seasonal)	++	S	2 steps; 31″ doorway
35	Salmon Shack	+++		3 steps
34	Schooner Australia Exhibit			Ground level entryway; 32″ doorway
33	Boathouse		S	Front ramp (weather permitting); side entrance 4 steps
	Marine Railway			Dirt pathway with open viewing
32	Tom Clagett Boat Shed			Open air gathering; shell surface
30	Mystic Seaport Sailing Center	+++	S	4 steps
28	Small Boat Exhibit: Catboats			Ground level; 35″ doorway
27	Ropewalk	+++		5 steps; 36″ doorway
26	Sail Loft/Rigging Loft	+++		4 steps; 35″ doorway; Internal stairs to access
26	Chandlery		S	Ground level; 65″ doorway
25	Clam Shack	++		Small step to wooden dock
24	Shipsmith Shop	++	F	1 step; Double doorway entry opened seasonally/weather permitting.
23	Nautical Instrument Shop		F	Side ramp with 35″ doorway; Front access 5 steps 31″ doorway
	Fire Engine Garage	++		1 step
22	Hoop Shop	+++		4 steps; 60″ doorway
40	Shipcarver’s Shop	+++	S	31″ doorway; 60″ doorway opened seasonally/weather permitting
21	Mystic Print Shop	+++	F	4 steps; 35″ doorway
20	Middle Wharf			Ground level; Wooden wharf
19	Burrows House	+++		3 steps; 36″ doorway
18	Cooperage	+++	F	4 steps; 32″ side and front doorway
41	Drug Store		S	Side wooden ramp; 3 steps front entry; 50″ doorway
17	Bank	++		2 steps; 36″ doorway
17	Shipping Office (upstairs Bank)	+++		Large flight wooden stairs
15	Whaleboat Exhibit			Ground level; Shell surfacing; 30″ doorway
14	Chubb’s Wharf			Ground level, Shell surfacing
42	Seamen’s Friend Society		S	3 steps front entry; Side ramp; 32″ doorway
46	Discovery Barn (seasonal)		S	60″ wooden ramp
43	Stone’s General Store	+++	F	3 steps; 32″ doorway
44	School House	+++		3 steps; 32″ doorway
45	Chapel	++		2 steps; 59″ doorway
11	Buckingham-Hall House	+++	F	Front entry large stone walk way 38″ doorway; Back ramp 41″ entry stone walkway before reaching ramp
13	Performance Stage		S	Ground level
10	Children’s Museum		F	Side ramp with 32″ doorway; Front entry 5 steps
9	Treworgy Planetarium		F	60″ doorway; Side ramp
9	Campbell Room/Howell Classroom (below Planetarium)	+++		Descending stone staircase; 37″ doorway
8	Thomas Greenman House	+++		3 steps; 34″ doorway
8	Thomas Greenman Bathroom Annex			36″ doorway
7	Playscapes			Ground level but not designed for handicap accessibility
38	Toy Boat Building		F	Outside annex ground level (seasonal); 3 steps 27″ doorway
31	Brant Point replica Lighthouse			Ramp to exhibit; 35″ doorway; 32″ interior doorway
39	Art Spot	+++	S	3 steps; 31″ doorway (seasonal)

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EXHIBIT GALLERIES
Map	Buildings	Access	Staffed	Description
6	Stillman Building		F	Ground level; 34″ doorway; Elevator in building
5	Wendell Building			Ground level; 36″ doorway
4	C.D. Mallory Building		F	Side ramp; 44″ doorway
4	P.R. Mallory Building		F	Ground level; 36″ doorway through the Mallory Building; 3 steps direct access
3	Greenmanville Church			Side ramp 36″ doorway; 4 step front entry
2	R.J. Schaefer Building		F	Side ramp 42″ doorway
1	Thompson Exhibition Building		F	Side ramp 42″ doorway

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SHOPPING
Building	Access	Staffed	Description
Museum Store & Book Store		F	Ramp 60″ doorway to main floor; Book Store located on Second floor stair access only.
Maritime Gallery		F	Ramp at VRC
Variety Store	+++	S	5 steps; 36″ doorway

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DINING
Building	Access	Staffed	Description
Latitude 41° Restaurant		F	Rear ramp with automated doorway; 4 steps front access
Café & Bake Shop		F	Entry through Store via ramp; Front small bluestone walkway with 3-step entry
The Galley Restaurant (seasonal)		S	Front ramp; Internal ramp to restrooms and upper order area
Spouter Tavern (seasonal)	++	S	Outside seasonal eating area – shell surfaced ground level; 2 step 31″ doorway

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ADMINISTRATIVE and OTHER BUILDINGS
Building	Access	Staffed	Description
Visitor Reception Center		F	Wooden ramp
Navigation Station		S	Ground-level access
Dock Office		S	Ground level
Security/First Aid	++	F	2 steps
Membership Building	++	F	Stone steps; 34″ entry
Collections & Research Center		S	Side ramp 36″ doorway; Front access six steps 36″ doorway
North End Restrooms		S	Ramp; 35″ doorway

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Please note: the list above is designed to provide an overview of access to various locations throughout the Museum grounds. This in no way indicates accessibility as defined by current State or Federal regulations only that a wheelchair or stroller can reach the location/exhibit entryway via ramp or ground level entry. The Museum is a replica 19th-century village and roadways, buildings, and access ways are portrayed in as authentic a manner as possible. Mystic Seaport works to enhance accessibility while maintaining the authenticity of the Museum experience.