Amenities & Accessibility

 

Accessibility

We think it’s important that the Museum be equally available to guests with any level of physical, visual, auditory, or cognitive ability. All public areas are 100% ADA-compliant. The facility and all exhibits have been designed using the principles of universal design, which go beyond accessibility with an approach that uses multi-sensory experiences as educational tools. These experiences allow all guests with any level of physical, visual, auditory, and cognitive ability to experience the Museum and its offerings.

Universal design simplifies life for everyone by making products, communications, and elements of the Museum’s spatial environment easier to use for every child, including those with movement differences, reduced vision or hearing, or cognitive impairments. Special attention has been paid to such aspects as labels and signage, accessible routes, and positioning of interactive elements that will enhance the Museum experience for everyone.

The Museum has developed a Parents Guide to Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago, in collaboration with North Shore Pediatric Therapy, to help parents and their children choose the exhibits they want to visit. The guide is available for download below.

Download Guide: English or Español (.pdf files, 2.2 MB)

Diapers/Changing Stations

Diaper Dispensers are available in restrooms. The fee is $1. Wall-mounted changing stations are included in all restrooms. The second Family Restroom near the Admissions Desk includes a cot which may be used for larger children or those with special needs.

Food: Bean Sprouts Cafe

Bean Sprouts offers a hip and healthy cafe, sparking children’s appetites with yummy, good-for-you food, and delighting grown-ups with a happier mealtime. Click here for more information!

With their core values of health, innovation, positivity, and playfulness, they will also cater to families with special dietary choices and challenges, including vegetarian and vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, casein-free, nut-free, egg-free, and soy-free options. Click here to see some of their inventive recipes you can make at home!

Hand Sanitizer

Alcohol-free hand sanitizer is available throughout the Museum, near each of the Infant Areas.

First Aid

First Aid can be requested by alerting a Museum staff member.

Infant Areas

Infant Areas are located near Whole Foods Market, Pet Vet, Water Works, and Sheridan’s Books and Crannies. They are integrated into the exhibits so parents and caregivers will be able to stay with their infants and crawlers while keeping an eye on their older children in adjacent areas.

Lockers

Lockers are available at the front of the Museum. The fee is 25¢.

Lost and Found

The Lost and Found can be checked at the Admissions Desk. Call (847) 832-6600 for more information.

Nursing Stations

A nursing station near Whole Foods Market provides a semi-private area for nursing mothers. For complete privacy, the second Family Restroom near the Admissions Desk includes a nursing cot.

Restrooms

Restrooms are located near the Admissions Desk and Cooperation Station. Family Restrooms are located near the Admissions Desk and All About Me. The second Family Restroom near the Admissions Desk includes a larger changing area and a cot for special needs.

Safety Outlets

All outlets in the Museum are tamper-resistant receptacles (TRR). These look just like ordinary outlets, but are designed with spring-loaded receptacle cover plates that close off the receptacle openings, or slots. When equal pressure is simultaneously applied to both sides, the receptacle cover plates open to allow the standard plug to make contact with the receptacle contact points. Without this simultaneous pressure, the cover plates remain closed, preventing insertion of foreign objects and protecting children from electrical injuries. Installed by the Museum when it was built in 2005, TRRs have proven to be so effective that the National Electrical Code has since 2008 required them to be installed in all new home construction. Plastic outlet plugs are not required or recommended with TRRs.

Strollers

Stroller parking is available at the front of the Museum. Strollers are always allowed in the Museum. However, if you are not actively using your stroller, we may suggest you park your stroller in the stroller parking at the front of the Museum.

Water Fountains

Water fountains are located near the Admissions Desk, Cooperation Station, and in the Traveling Exhibit Gallery, as well as throughout Habitat Park.

Wheelchairs

While the Museum is fully accessible by wheelchairs brought from home, the Museum regrets that it cannot provide wheelchairs for guest use while in the Museum.

Wifi

Wifi internet access is not available in the Museum for guests.