The Dot Experience is the world’s most inclusive museum—built from the ground up to ensure everyone can participate fully and independently.
Designed hand in hand with people of diverse disabilities, every aspect of The Dot Experience reflects a commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and equal access. From navigation and exhibit interaction to media formats and sensory considerations, the museum was created so visitors of all abilities can explore, engage and discover without barriers.
More than a museum experience, The Dot Experience invites visitors to imagine a future where accessibility is expected, inclusion is intentional, and everyone belongs.
Begin your visit at the Orientation Station, where you can become familiar with our wayfinding tools, exhibit features, tactile displays, philosophies, and inclusive design elements that will guide you throughout the museum.
Located in the main lobby, the Orientation Station helps visitors choose the wayfinding tools and resources that best support their individual needs before beginning their journey through The Dot Experience.
Find your way with ease.
The Dot Experience will be fully mapped through GoodMaps, a free indoor navigation app designed to support visitor s who are blind or low vision. Download the app before your visit or upon arrival to receive turn-by-turn directions throughout the museum and APH campus.
Combined with tactile maps, accessible wayfinding features, and thoughtful museum design, GoodMaps helps visitors navigate independently and confidently from exhibit to exhibit.
Here, inclusion isn’t a feature—it’s the design itself. From how you enter the building to the tools that guide your journey, every element has been created to ensure everyone can explore The Dot Experience without limits.
Navigate with confidence using GoodMaps, tactile maps, braille signage, meaningful
flooring surfaces, and clear wayfinding tools designed to support a wide range of
accessibility needs.
Every exhibit is designed to be experienced in multiple ways. Content is available through print, braille, descriptive narration, visual descriptions and American Sign Language (ASL), helping ensure visitors can engage with exhibits using the formats that work best for them.
High-contrast design, sound mitigation strategies, social stories, accessible lighting
considerations, and streamlined exhibit language help create a comfortable and welcoming environment for visitors with a variety of sensory, cognitive, and accessibility needs.
Every visitor deserves comfort, dignity, and independence throughout their experience. The Dot Experience provides accessible restrooms designed to support a wide range of needs, including changing tables for all ages, tactile restroom maps, and a dedicated parent and nursing room.
These features are part of our commitment to creating an inclusive museum experience where visitors of all abilities can explore with confidence.
Service animals are welcome throughout The Dot Experience. Designated relief areas are available to help ensure guide dog remains comfortable during your visit.
Museum staff are available to assist with directions to relief areas and answer questions about accessibility accommodations for visitors traveling with service animals.
Museum experiences can be exciting, immersive, and sometimes overwhelming. Quiet spaces are available throughout The Dot Experience for visitors who may benefit from a calming environment during their visit.
Whether you need a moment to recharge, reduce sensory stimulation, or simply take a break, these welcoming spaces are available whenever you need them.
The Dot Experience offers multiple navigation options so visitors can choose the approach that works best for them. Use the free GoodMaps app for step-by-step directions throughout the building, or explore using tactile maps, braille signage, meaningful flooring surfaces, and clear wayfinding tools located throughout the museum.
Designed as a fully accessible museum, The Dot Experience provides navigation resources that
support visitors who are blind, low vision, sighted, DeafBlind or have other accessibility needs.
Yes. The Dot Experience was designed from the beginning to ensure every visitor can explore
independently and confidently. As Louisville’s first inclusive museum, accessibility is built into every exhibit and experience—not added afterward.
The entire museum is wheelchair accessible and features multiple ways to engage with exhibits, including braille, American Sign Language, visual descriptions, reachable zones, tactile pathways, and interactive experiences designed for visitors of all abilities.
Tactile maps, accessible wayfinding, high-contrast design elements, thoughtfully placed seating, and sensory-friendly features are incorporated throughout the museum to create an inclusive experience for everyone.
At The Dot Experience, visitors are encouraged to touch, explore and engage with exhibits
throughout the museum. When an artifact must be displayed behind glass for preservation, a tactile representation is provided so everyone can experience it firsthand. This approach helps ensure visitors of all abilities—including those who are blind or low vision—can meaningfully connect with the stories, objects, and experiences on display.
We want every visitor to feel prepared and confident before visiting The Dot Experience.
If you have specific accessibility needs or questions before your visit, please contact our team in advance. We are happy to help you plan an experience that meets your needs.