Visiting the National Gallery of Art this week with my mom, I discovered firsthand the challenges others go through every day when navigating this world in a wheelchair.
Our last experience like this was sixteen years ago when mom broke her ankle but wanted to see an exhibit at the Corcoran. That visit required rolling around to the back of the building and waiting for an employee to operate the freight elevator for access to the Exhibit.
But this weeks visit to the National Gallery of Art was simple, with access clearly thought out and accommodated. So taking her around held just the usual realities of limited personal mobility at this stage of life. No obstacles were put in our way by the building itself.
If we had a handicap placard or tag we could have parked closer. But the ability to drop off at the door at the 6th Street entrance and free loaner wheelchairs just inside the door was a blessing. There are also multiple elevators to the various levels, making going up or down easy for everyone.
We had a wonderful visit experiencing some old favorites and discovering a few new works. The easy accessibility allowed the wheelchair to assist our visit rather than get in the way. In the end it was just another enjoyable family visit to the National Gallery of Art.
