An art museum on the Tampa Riverwalk with free Art on the Spectrum sensory-friendly hours on the last Sunday of each month, headphones, sunglasses and sensory toys to borrow at the desk, quieter morning times, and a social story in English and Spanish.
Sensory supports. Free Art on the Spectrum, headphones to borrow.
Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 am to 5 pm; Thursday, 10 am to 8 pm (Art on the House, pay-as-you-will, 4 to 8 pm); Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Opens early at 9 am on the last Sunday of each month for Art on the Spectrum. Closed on Gasparilla, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; closes at 3 pm on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July.
Cornelia Corbett Center, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FL 33602
“Art on the Spectrum is what we call our monthly sensory-friendly hours designed to welcome individuals with sensory sensitivities, developmental differences, and their caregivers.”
“Enjoy exploring the museum in a calm, low-crowd environment with sensory-friendly tools and supportive assistance available.”
“We are partnered with CARD USF to provide headphones, sunglasses, and sensory toys for visitor use. Just ask the desk attendant for assistance and use.”
“We have a projection-based exhibition room that we mark on the map for those guests with light sensitivities.”
Art on the Spectrum is free, thanks to the Autism License Plate Fund and the Autism Services Grants Council, and is hosted with CARD at the University of South Florida. Questions: hello@tampamuseum.org.
The museum is listed as Autism Friendly in the CARD Autism Friendly Business Directory, and its full and part-time staff have trained with CARD USF.
The museum's social story (TMA Social Story, and Narrativa social de TMA in Spanish) walks through the visit: the Welcome Desk, lockers, the second-floor galleries, seating, and outdoor spaces with a view of downtown Tampa where a louder voice is fine for a few minutes. It also says you can bring your own fidget or borrow one, and ask staff whether touchable items from the sensory-friendly cart are available.
There is seating throughout the galleries and public areas, and lightweight portable chairs in the galleries for anyone who wants to sit.
The digital room (loud noises; a good place to sit and take a break if loud noises don't bother your kid)not stated
Admission: adults $25.00; adults 65+ $15.00; military $15.00; Florida educators $15.00; professional artists $15.00; K-12 students $5; children 6 and under free; college students with ID free; SNAP EBT participants free; Art+ members free. Discounted tickets need a valid ID at the Welcome Desk. There are no refunds for purchased tickets. Tickets: 813.421.8380.
Museums for All: show an active SNAP EBT card at the Welcome Desk for free admission for up to four people. Art on the House: every Thursday from 4 to 8 pm, pay what you choose at the Welcome Desk. Bank of America Museums on Us: free general admission for the active cardholder only on the first weekend of every month, not for ticketed and special exhibitions or fundraising events.
Only pencils are allowed in the galleries; a staff member can give you a golf pencil. Personal photos are allowed in most galleries, without flash or selfie sticks.
Parking: the museum has no lot of its own. Nearby: the William F. Poe Parking Garage (prepay at the pay-by-plate stations or with ParkMobile Zone 9913), the Royal Street Regional Lot (credit or ParkMobile Zone 9709), and metered street parking. The closest accessible parking is on the 4th and 5th floors of the Poe Garage, 802 N Ashley Drive; use the elevators at the southeast corner, nearest the Glazer Children's Museum. The garage has 17 ADA spaces and a 7 ft height limit.
A drop-off and pick-up curb on Gasparilla Plaza, between the museum and the Glazer Children's Museum, is for visitors with mobility needs or rideshare, not for parking. The accessible entrance is the Vinik Family Education Center entrance on the east side, facing the Glazer Children's Museum.
Complimentary wheelchairs, first come, first served, at a Welcome Desk. All galleries, classrooms, restrooms and visitor amenities are reached by elevators and mobility-friendly paths. Service dogs are welcome; emotional support animals and pets are not.
Questions before your visit, including sensory accommodations: 813.274.8130 or hello@tampamuseum.org.
