Accessibility

The Wexner Center is committed to creating and maintaining inclusive spaces of belonging that are accessible to everyone.

If you have questions about accessibility or wish to request an accommodation, please contact our accessibility manager by calling (614) 688–3890 or emailing accessibility@wexarts.org.

Requests made at least three weeks in advance of an event will generally allow us to provide seamless access; however, every effort will be made to meet requests received closer to an event date.

When you make your request, please be prepared to discuss your needs with us, let us know if you will have a companion with you, and provide your name and contact information so that we can follow up with you.

Access Services and Amenities

Aira Campus Network chevron-down chevron-up

The Wexner Center for the Arts and Mershon Auditorium are included in Ohio State's Aira Campus Network, a service that connects blind and low-vision people to highly trained, remotely located agents through a smartphone app. Aira enables instant access to visual information at the touch of a button. Any faculty or staff member, student, or visitor can use Aira for free to help navigate the physical environment of Ohio State's campus, read signage, and find specific rooms and areas. Once you have downloaded the app and signed in as an Aira guest, you will be able to make a call to an Aira agent for visual guide assistance.

For help with the Aira application or sign-up problems, call (800) 835–1934, 9 AM–9 PM, seven days a week.

ASL Interpretation chevron-down chevron-up

To request ASL interpretation for an event, please contact our accessibility manager by calling (614) 688–3890 or emailing accessibility@wexarts.org.

Assisted Listening Devices (ALDs) chevron-down chevron-up

A limited number of ALDs with headsets and neck loops are available on request for performances and lectures that use amplified sound. Our Visitor Experience team is happy to assist with complimentary rentals. Please have a photo ID available.

Calming Room chevron-down chevron-up

A calming room located inside the seating area of Mershon Auditorium is available for patron use during events. Features include freedom of movement between the room and general seating (with assistance from event staff, if needed), a view of the stage through large windows, adjustable volume controls, a dimmable light switch for overhead incandescent lighting, alternative seating options (such as adult- and child-size yoga balls), and more.

Captioning/CART Services chevron-down chevron-up

Captioning is planned for the Wexner Center for the Arts' endowed lectures, which include the Director's Dialogue on Art and Social Change, the DeeDee and Herb Glimcher Lecture, and the Lambert Family Lecture. Videos available on wexarts.org have open or closed captions. To request CART (or live captioning) for an event that you are planning to attend, please contact our accessibility manager by calling (614) 688–3890 or emailing accessibility@wexarts.org.

Comfort Room chevron-down chevron-up

A comfort room located off the Mershon Auditorium lobby is available by request for patron use during events. Features include the privacy of a closed room (with assistance from event staff, if needed), overhead fluorescent lighting, optional incandescent lamps, a blue-light calming motion lamp, a small couch, two padded chairs with back support, alternative seating options (such as an adult-size yoga ball), and more.

Free Gallery Admission for Your Access Companion or Care Partner chevron-down chevron-up

When you enter the Wex, please stop at our Visitor Experience desk to receive free admission for your access companion or care partner.

Gallery Seating chevron-down chevron-up

Some of our visual art galleries have benches or couches, depending on the exhibition. Free gallery stools are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. These lightweight and portable folding seats are available at the lower-level coat check inside the Wex. Please return them at the end of your visit.

Mobility Devices chevron-down chevron-up

Manual wheelchairs and collapsible strollers are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis at the lower-level coat check inside the Wexner Center building and at the main floor coat check inside Mershon Auditorium. Our Visitor Experience team is happy to assist with complimentary rentals. Please have a photo ID available.

The Wex also welcomes your personal walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters.

Access companions or care partners are admitted to galleries free of charge.

Service Dogs chevron-down chevron-up

Your trained service dog is welcome in all our spaces. The nearest grassy area is along the southern side of Mershon Auditorium, located immediately northeast of the High Street entrance to the Wexner Center building.

Restrooms chevron-down chevron-up

Accessible restrooms are located next to the café on the gallery level of the Wexner Center, near the Performance Space inside the Wex, and on the main floor of Mershon Auditorium. The spaces are equipped with changing tables and paper towel dispensers.

Drop-off Points and Parking

The small, metered parking area on the High Street side of Mershon Auditorium may be used as a drop-off and pick-up point for patrons visiting the Wexner Center or attending events. A very limited number of designated accessible parking spaces are located in that lot.

Accessible parking spaces are designated in the Ohio Union South Garage, just south of the Wexner Center, and in Arps Garage, about one block north of the center. These are your closest parking options. The Ohio Union South Garage is open for visitor parking at all times. The Arps Garage is generally open for visitor parking in the evening and on weekends.

Arps Garage

  • This garage is generally open for visitor parking on evenings and weekends. It may also be open for visitor parking during weekdays in the summer.
  • It offers reasonably direct and level approaches to the Wexner Center and Mershon Auditorium.

Ohio Union South Garage

  • This garage is generally open for visitor parking on weekdays, evenings, and weekends.
  • The accessible route from the garage to the center is fairly long. Avoid inclines by following College Road to the west entrance of the Wexner Center (the entrance off College Road). This entrance has door openers, no stairs to the lobby, and is accessible to those using wheeled devices and those who prefer to avoid stairs.
  • An alternative approach, which requires visitors to move up an incline to reach the east entrance of the Wexner Center (the one facing High Street), is slightly shorter. However, this door opens to a short flight of stairs down to the lobby. To reach the accessible entrance (the entrance off College Road), continue past the east entrance, turn left, and proceed down a short ramp.

Quick Guide to Accessibility by Location

The Wexner Center offers programs in our own spaces as well as other campus and community venues. Before heading to an event, please check your ticket to verify the location and consult these notes for details about our on-site venues. Service animals are welcome in all venues.

Wexner Center Galleries, Film/Video Theater, Performance Space, Store, and Café chevron-down chevron-up

  • The west entrance to the Wexner Center (facing College Road) is accessible to those using wheeled devices and those who prefer to avoid stairs.
  • An elevator near that entrance provides access to the center’s lower level, where one can find entrances to the galleries and Film/Video Theater, the walkway to the Performance Space, the Wexner Center Store, and the café.
  • The galleries can be accessed through large, open entrances along a wide, inclined ramp with handrails. There are resting spots at regular intervals on the ramp. Foldable portable gallery stools are available to borrow on request. The entrance to the Performance Space is located past the top of the ramp.
  • Accessible restrooms are located next to the café on the gallery level and near the Performance Space.
  • Wheelchairs and strollers are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the lower-level coat check.*
  • Accessible seating in the Film/Video Theater is available in the first and last rows. While ADA compliant, the gradient within the theater is a bit steep; Visitor Experience staff are available to assist as needed.
  • An elevator near the Performance Space provides access to the space’s main (lower) floor. Balcony seating is located down a short set of stairs.
  • With advance notice, accessible seating is available for events in the Performance Space, with the location and number of accessible seats determined by stage setup.
  • A limited number of assistive listening devices are available on request for performances that use amplified sound.*

* Our Visitor Experience team is happy to assist with complimentary rentals of wheelchairs, strollers, and assistive listening devices. Please have a photo ID available.

Mershon Auditorium chevron-down chevron-up

  • Please note: there is no elevator in Mershon, and the only access to the balcony is by stairs.
  • Accessible seating areas are located at the rear of the auditorium’s main floor.
  • Accessible restrooms are located off the main floor lobby.
  • A limited number of assistive listening devices are available on request for shows that use amplified sound.*
  • Wheelchairs and strollers are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the main floor coat check.*

* Our Visitor Experience team is happy to assist with complimentary rentals of wheelchairs, strollers, and assistive listening devices. Please have a photo ID available.

Mershon Stage chevron-down chevron-up

  • With advance notice, accessible seating is available with location and number of accessible seats determined by stage setup.
  • Visitors using wheeled devices will be guided to an accessible entrance.

Tours and Gallery Experiences

If you wish to organize a guided or self-guided tour or gallery experience for your school, campus, or community group, please contact the Wexner Center's education staff by calling (614) 292-6493 or emailing education@wexarts.org at least three weeks in advance of your requested date. We'll be glad to discuss any questions you may have about access or accommodations. Find out more about tours and gallery experiences.

Digital Accessibility Statement

The Wexner Center for the Arts is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. We are engaged in ongoing efforts to improve the user experience for everyone by applying relevant standards in alignment with The Ohio State University's Digital Accessibility Policy and our shared commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Measures to support accessibility

The Wexner Center ensures accessibility in our digital and physical spaces by:

  • Including accessibility throughout our internal policies
  • Integrating accessibility into our procurement practices
  • Appointing digital accessibility coordinators and educating staff about accessibility best practices
  • Creating alt-text descriptions for all new graphics and images used on our website
  • Creating hyperlinks with title attributes that accurately describe the content of the link
  • Using the latest versions of Microsoft and Adobe products in document creation
  • Building closed captioning into production timelines for prerecorded videos
  • Establishing a clear path for requesting accommodations on all Wex event pages
  • Establishing this easy-to-use, accessibility-focused web page that provides current resources and contact information
  • Retaining a full-time, dedicated accessibility manager to promote accessible practices and respond to accommodation requests as they arise

Conformance Status

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define globally recognized best practices for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It outlines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. In alignment with Ohio State’s Minimum Digital Accessibility Standards (MDAS), the Wexner Center’s website wexarts.org is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Partially conformant means that some content does not fully meet minimum accessibility standards at this time. We are aware that our site is not fully accessible and are actively working to meet and maintain conformance standards that will provide an accessible user experience for all.

Limitations and Alternatives

Despite our best efforts to ensure the accessibility of wexarts.org, you may encounter some limitations. Below is a description of known limitations and potential solutions. Please contact us if you observe an issue not listed below. We are committed to the ideals of accessibility and will work to provide access as issues are reported or discovered.

Known limitations for wexarts.org:

  1. Website images: some images may not have text alternatives because images that were used on our previous site may not have retained alt-text when migrated to the current website. When these images become known, we repair them usually within two business days.
  2. Website videos: some videos may not be closed captioned or have descriptive transcripts because they were created before current accessibility standards were in place.

Please let us know if you encounter an issue with images or video by emailing us at accessibility@wexarts.org.

Compatibility with Browsers and Assistive Technology

wexarts.org is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies:

  • Our website functions best when used from latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
  • The use of our website cannot be guaranteed on browsers three versions older than the newest one available.

Technical Specifications

The accessibility of wexarts.org relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer:

  • HTML
  • WAI-ARIA
  • CSS
  • JavaScript

These technologies are relied on for conformance with the accessibility standards used.

Accessibility Feedback and Concerns or Complaints

The Wexner Center for the Arts welcomes all visitors and is committed to creating and maintaining inclusive spaces of belonging that are accessible to everyone.

If you have positive feedback, comments, or concerns about your experience with any of the Wex's programs, services, facilities, or employees, please let us know by filling out our Accessibility Feedback Form. Your feedback is needed to help us achieve our goal of inclusive access for all. You will receive an initial response within five business days.

We will respond to accessibility complaints within one business day and work to propose a solution within 10 business days, in consultation with The Ohio State University's ADA Coordinator's Office.

If your concern is time sensitive, if you have difficulty with the form, or if you prefer to contact the accessibility manager for the Wex directly, please email accessibility@wexarts.org or call (614) 688–3890 (voice).