Accessible Chicago Website
Searchable website with a place to ask questions and share information about Chicago for people in wheelchairs
The Accessible Chicago website and the related blog, Kudos and Tomatoes, offer current, searchable information about wheelchair access in the windy city.
People using wheelchairs, who live or visit Chicago, are fortunate to have a detailed, focused resource in the Accessible Chicago website.
Accessible Chicago has sections on "Explore Chicago", "Getting Around Chicago", "Seniors Corner", and much more.
Searching the Accessible Chicago website for information on the Art Institute of Chicago produced a review from November 10, 2006. At that time, the Art Institute had construction underway, which made parking difficult and lowered the accessibility rating overall. If you are going to Chicago, you might want to know whether that is still the case.
One of the very sensible, useful features of Accessible Chicago's site is that you can ask questions and get information from a real person who lives in Chicago. You could find out whether the Art Institute is more accessible now by posting a question in the forum. "AC User Community" is the link on the left hand side of the home page.
Our researcher registered as a user and posted something to the forum. For some reason the registration code did not work perfectly and the researcher had to try about four times. This only took a minute, literally. If it happens to you, don't give up. With time this website will get better. It's a great resource already.
The Accessible Chicago blog, "Kudos and Tomatoes" is also searchable. There was an entry about the problems Accessible Chicago President Catherine Marsden had the first time she tackled the Art Institute with her children, including her then 5-year-old daughter, Helen, who uses a wheelchair. Parents with children who can't walk will all relate to this tale. Getting in was difficult, but they did eventually enjoy their day. That was some years ago and it does sound like things are easier now.
The Art Institute is one highlight of a visit to Chicago, particularly if you enjoy Impressionist art. With some planning and advice from Accessible Chicago, and perhaps some information directly from the Art Institute, all travellers should be able to enjoy it. The Art Insitute's website includes information about accessibility. There is a phone number to call to pre-arrange disabled parking.
For general information about visiting Chicago, here's an introductory article from the Urban Travel section of Suite101.
All on-line references were current at the time this article was originally published on Suite101.com.
