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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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And you're correct, Chuck, I misspoke.  ADA compliance is compulsory,  
even if it is sometimes interpretative.

I just poked through the thick and splendid adaportal.org site,  
looking for examples of museums and ADA-related lawsuits in addition  
to the Spy Museum case.  There is a reference to the Fort Lauderdale  
Museum of Art recently being sued for not making a King Tut  
exhibition accessible to the blind.  Strange case, actually.  And  
there are a number of municipal museums that have received  
recommedations for better compliance from the Department of Justice.   
I stopped diggin after an hour of that.

This is an important topic, and I'm the wrong person to monopolize  
dialog without callling my lawyer!  So, on that note,
: J


On Jan 3, 2011, at 10:23 PM, jason jay stevens wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> ********************************************************************** 
> *******
>
> That's an interesting case!  Frightening, even.
> Spy Museum is for-profit, and the case was settled out of court.
> Are there analogies amongst non-profits?
>
> A non-profit near and dear to my heart is closing this year, in  
> fact, ascribing significant lost federal funding to ADA noncompliance.
> But I was taught to love and not to fear ADA guidelines.  To let  
> them be the designer's friend.
> Alas!  Love is no protection from deligent lawyers and government  
> grant allocators!
>
> : Jason
>
>
> On Jan 3, 2011, at 9:36 PM, Chuck Howarth wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
>> institutions.
>> ********************************************************************* 
>> ********
>>
>> Good points, Jason, except that ADA compliance is not limited to  
>> architecture and is NOT voluntary.  The Spy Museum in Washington  
>> got sued over ADA compliance issues with their programs and  
>> exhibits, and ended up settling with the Justice Department.  The  
>> lawsuit claimed that, "The Museum’s exhibits and programs were  
>> inaccessible to visitors who are blind or who have low vision. For  
>> example, the Museum did not have guides or docents trained in  
>> providing accessible tours or computers equipped with speech  
>> outputs. The Museum did not provide printed materials, such as  
>> exhibit brochures or program handouts in alternate formats, such  
>> as Braille, large print or audio recording."   The settlement  
>> agreement also included this:  "Under title III, the Museum must  
>> ensure that no individual with a disability is discriminated  
>> against on the basis of a disability in the full and equal  
>> enjoyment of the Museum’s goods, services and facilities."
>>
>>>
>>> Lisa--
>>>
>>> My understanding is that, outside architecture, ADA obligations  
>>> are met by museums on a voluntary basis.  Unless they're applying  
>>> for government grants.
>>>
>>
>> Chuck Howarth, Vice President
>> ____________________________________
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>> G Y R O S C O P E I N C
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>> blog:  http://museums-now.blogspot.com
>> ____________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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