The Museum is honored for its work to make art accessible for all.
Helen Keller Services (HKS) named The Heckscher Museum one of five recipients of the 2025 AccessAbility Award. The award is given to leaders across technology, arts, infrastructure, and education for exceptional dedication to improving lives of individuals with disabilities. Now in their fifth year, the awards acknowledge organizations demonstrating ‘exceptional commitment to advancing accessibility for individuals who are blind, DeafBlind, or have low vision and the broader disability community.’
“Each of this year’s recipients exemplifies what’s possible when organizations embrace accessibility as a core value rather than an afterthought,” said Dr. Susan Ruzenski, CEO of Helen Keller Services. “These organizations are breaking down barriers, demonstrating accessibility leadership, and setting new standards for their industries.”
According to HKS, The Heckscher Museum of Art is being recognized for “its comprehensive approach to making arts and culture accessible to all visitors.” In particular, the Museum was lauded for how its Accessibility Advisory Group, which includes Helen Keller Services’ participation, created accessible outdoor soundwalks and developed a free digital guide in the Bloomberg Connects App offering content in 40 languages with transcripts, captioning, alt text, and verbal descriptions. Multi-sensory touch stations, ASL interpretation at all public events with fifty or more participants, and thoughtful accessibility planning demonstrate how the museum enhances experiences for all visitors while preserving artistic integrity.
The photo here shows the ‘touch station’ where visitors can feel a replica of Emma Stebbins’s Lotus Eater. Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History is on view through March 15, 2026.
