The days are shorter, there’s a chill in the air, and leaves are crunching beneath our feet and wheels. Whether you’re lighting up a menorah, a Christmas tree, a Yule log, a Kinara, or your friends’ moods, there are lots of inclusive, accessible ways to celebrate the holiday season in NYC.
Bryant Park
From late October through January, Bryant Park hosts the Bank of America Winter Village with 170 holiday shops featuring local and global artisans. The scene practically begs for a small town holiday film about someone finding love in the big city. The heart of the Winter Village is the 17,000-square-foot ice skating rink, which is free to enter. Both manual and power wheelchairs are permitted on the ice, and a member of the staff can provide on-ice assistance. Adaptive sleds are also available and free for disabled people, plus one guest. The sled can be pushed by a guest or by staff. Disabled guests can be accommodated at any time and no reservations are required, but calling ahead of time is encouraged.
If you prefer some competitive indoor fun, reserve a lane at the Curling Café + Bar, which offers iceless curling along with food and beverages in a private igloo.
Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights
The Bronx Zoo welcomes guests of all abilities. From late November through January 5th, the zoo is illuminated with their Holiday Lights show. There are seven immersive lantern trails with over 400 lanterns representing nearly 100 animal and plant species to help connect visitors to wildlife and places that the Wildlife Conservation Society works to protect worldwide.
There are also lots of other fun adventures to have, including the Children’s Holiday Train, expert artists creating wildlife ice carvings, puppet adventures and wildlife trivia, and an Enchanted Sea exhibit with interactive lights. On December 5th and January 3rd, the zoo is hosting Holiday Lights Sensory-Friendly Nights, designed for guests who thrive in a sensory-supportive environment while providing the same great Holiday Lights experience.
Some of the sensory-inclusive modifications include: reduced capacity to allow guests to spread out, quieter music, adjusted lighting effects, quieter ice carving, and stationary instead of roaming illuminated performers at Astor Court. In addition, sensory bags from KultureCity will be available at the door every night of Holiday Lights. There will also be an indoor Quiet Area at Astor Court for guests who need to take a break from the stimulating event environment.
All of the zoo buildings are wheelchair accessible, and pathways and accessible routes are identified on zoo access maps on the Access webpage. Because the zoo has more of a natural layout and terrain, they recommend mobility equipment users use the Southern Blvd. entrance, which has fewer incline changes and is closer to the central section of the zoo.
American Museum of Natural History
One of the best ways to enjoy winter is to be cozy inside. You can stay home by a fire, or you can stoke the fires of your curiosity at the American Museum of Natural History. For decades, they’ve celebrated the season with the Origami Holiday Tree. This year’s 13-foot tree is themed Jumping for Joy, celebrating the end of the 2024 Leap Year with over 1,000 pieces of origami that celebrate leaping animals.
If you’re dreaming of escaping the cold, look no further than the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium. Visitors can see 80 species of free-flying butterflies among lush vegetation in tropical temperatures year-round.
Looking for something a little colder? Visit the Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals to see Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry. This dazzling array of diamond-studded jewelry worn by some of hip-hop’s most iconic stars brings new meaning to “merry and bright.”
AMNH’s public areas are wheelchair accessible, and all floors can be reached by elevator. There are accessible restrooms on every floor, as well as all-gender family restrooms, lactation rooms, and a companion care room with an adult changing table.
Visitors with sensory needs can use resources like a social narrative to prepare for their visit and access sensory bags including fidgets and ear defenders for the day of their visit. All film content at the Museum has captions and assistive listening devices are available. Blind and low vision visitors have access to a wide range of tactile models along with audio description in the Hayden Planetarium Space Show and LeFrak Theater. And, induction loop hearing systems are available by request in Museum theaters as well as in special exhibition galleries and the Hall of Biodiversity.
Accessibility tours are available monthly and by request, along with programs for neurodiverse children and blind and low vision visitors Visit the Accessibility & Language Assistance at the Museum page or contact accessibility@amnh.org or 212-769-5200 before your visit to find out more.