The Valentine

There is one accessible parking space close to the accessible entrance in the parking lot behind the building.

It is wide enough to be considered a van accessible space as there is an 8 foot wide access aisle.

The pavement has the international symbol of accessibility on it, but there is no other signage.

Payment is cash only and handled during business hours by the parking attendant, and after hours you can scan a QR code, pay via text, or pay using an app.

Once parked, you are required to leave your keys with the parking attendant because cars may be required to be moved in order for you to access your vehicle later.

The access aisle sometimes has cars parked in it, but the parking lot attendant can move cars from this space upon request.

The pathway from the parking lot to the accessible entrance of the property is mostly smooth asphalt, brick, and a stone-like sidewalk that has a step and barrier free route.

There is a ramp up from the parking level to the main entrance level, with handrails on both sides at an accessible height, but minimal handrail extensions at the top.

The main entrance stairs are wide, and have 3 handrails, one on each side and one in the middle, that are all at accessible heights and have the proper extensions at the top and bottom.

The front entrance of the building has a staircase, which has no handrails on either side for the first step, and minimal handrail extensions at the top and bottom.

All exterior entrance and exit stairs have consistent riser heights and tread depths.

The main entrances and exits are clearly marked with white lettering on a red background, but there are no braille or tactile characters.

The main accessible entrance door behind the building, with some signage directing you to it if you approach from the front of the building, and the accessible entrance has an automatic push button.

The surface of the location’s outdoor paths once within the property are mostly brick paths that can be uneven in spots, and a couple narrow pathways in the garden area due to furniture.

The interior of the main museum has wide paths with plenty of room to maneuver mobility devices, and the floor surface is a mix of carpet and hardwood, and the main tour areas of the Wickham house have similar surfaces, with some of the rooms having limited maneuvering space due to stanchions that are put in place to block off certain areas of the rooms.

Most interior doors and doorways are at least 32 inches and are either propped open during business hours, or are opened by tour guides.

The majority of interior pathways are an accessible width of at least 36 inches.

The accessible route to the garden is off of the parking lot, with limited signage.

The front entrance to the museum has stairs to access it.

There is an elevator to the lower level of the main space where the restrooms are located, with limited signage, but it does have braille and tactile lettering next to each of the buttons in the elevator car. The elevator did not appear to have audible signals to indicate which direction the car was going at the time of our assessment.

Some of the interior spaces are dimly lit, which may be challenging for some.

A couple ramps and staircases in the main two spaces, the museum and the house, and staircases in and around the garden space, may be a challenge for individuals as they are lacking handrails at some points, or only have handrails on one side, and some of the staircases and ramps have no handrail extensions.

One staircase is a curved/spiral style, so the tread depths are not consistent from the inside of the stair to the outside.

The edges of the stairs are not contrasted to tell one step apart from the next, which may be a challenge for some individuals.

There are numerous seating options available throughout with seating surfaces at accessible heights.

The point of sale counter in the gift shop/visitor welcome area is at an accessible height, and staff provides assistance with credit card for purchases.

There is some merchandise in the gift shop that may be difficult to reach as it is greater than 48 inches above the floor, but staff is able to assist if needed.

Water fountains are located on the lower level, directly across from the elevator, one of which is at an accessible height.

The site is generally not too noisy or crowded.

There are quiet spaces available on the lower level of the museum in the meeting room (if not in use) and the gardens.

Ask staff for a more quiet, private space if you would like assistance finding one.

Windows in the rooms of the Wickham house facing the garden have shades if a darker space is needed.

There are a couple multi-stall, gendered restrooms on the lower level of the main museum that are accessible, and there is an accessible single occupant restroom near the gardens.

All restroom doors have at least a 32 inch wide clear width, and although they do not have push buttons, they are fairly lightweight, forcewise, with good maneuvering clearance next to each door.

The interior of each restroom/accessible stall is spacious with enough room for a 60 inch diameter turn.

For the multi stall restrooms, the stall doors are not fully self closing and do not have door pulls on the outside of the door.

There is a coat hook on the back of each accessible stall door at a good height off of the floor, and the lock is at an accessible height and does not require pinching, twisting, or grasping to operate.

There are grab bars at good heights next to and behind each toilet, and the toilet seat is 17-19 inches above the floor.

The sinks and light switches in the multi-stall restrooms have a sensor to control them.

The sinks, soap, and paper towel dispensers in each restroom are at accessible heights, and the light switch is slightly above an accessible height in the single occupant restroom.

There is a full length mirror available in the single occupant restroom, and mirrors above and behind the sinks in the multi-stall restrooms with reflective surfaces starting at 40 inches above the floor.

There are a couple manual wheelchairs and 1 cane available for those who need one, a social story available on their website, under “visit” and then “Access and Tips for Visiting” to get a sense of the experience before visiting, a portable chair in the historic Wickham House, and ASL interpreter accommodations can be made with two weeks advance notice for events and tours.

There are some electrical outlets throughout the property that are at accessible heights.

Pets are allowed in the garden area and more about their policy can be found on their website.

Employees are going through, or have completed, disability etiquette training to differentiate and elevate their customer service.

Generally, we found The Valentine’s website to have great accessibility information as well, above and beyond what most attractions/businesses provide.