How Accessible is Wave Hill ?

In our case, not very accessible...

Wave Hill is a New York City landmark dating back to 1843 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's a cultural center and horticultural gardens with a classic view overlooking the Palisades, often referenced as a secluded gem tucked away in Riverdale, Bronx. We recently visited and expected a few tranquil hours of exploring accessible grounds and facilities to soak in this lush natural beauty. But we were disappointed once on the premises. Our experience was fragmented due to the lack of transparent accessibility information, which meant we were misinformed about what is accessible for a wheelchair user.

I typically read through the Accessibility page of any new place we're visiting prior to our outings to gauge what we can and cannot do. Their Accessibility page states “The indoor spaces of Wave Hill, including Wave Hill House, the Perkins Visitor Center and Glyndor Gallery, are accessible to all our visitors. Mainly due to the topography of the gardens, some areas of the gardens are less accessible; they are indicated on our seasonal Map & Guide.” I naturally assumed this meant mostly accessible main grounds and buildings. Upon arrival, we collected the seasonal Map & Guide as referenced on the website from the staffer who checked our entrance tickets. We inquired about the accessible areas, to which the staffer pointed out all of the buildings and told us to use the accessible paved roads and to stay off the unpaved areas.

Our first stop was in Glyndor Gallery and we saw most of the exhibits except a small sun terrace area - which was inaccessible because of its one step down. This building is accessible by an elevator and one ramp on the second floor for an exhibit room. After the gallery visit, we opted to head over to Wave Hill House & Cafe for an early lunch at which time mom noted the paved pathway may not actually be ADA grade level since it was strenuous to push Annie's wheelchair. The restaurant offers fast casual locally curated food with friendly services. We opted for a quiet indoor lunch (outdoor seats were mostly taken up by noon), which is beautifully decorated with stunning floral photography.

Coming back out, we bypassed Perkins Visitor Center because of the pathway slope and noticed an art program happening for families to participate in. Unfortunately WE could not participate since it was up on a lawn area without an accessible paved pathway. We opted to spend the remainder of our visit hanging out by the famous Pergola Overlook. This too was a fragmented experience that excluded Annie from seeing much else of Wave Hill. Mom and Diya walked the grounds to see if there were other garden areas Annie could visit but mom didn’t think so because of the steep paved pathways for the manual wheelchair.

All wasn’t lost to us. While waiting for our Access-A-Ride pick up, we spent our time catching up on some of our upcoming projects, created some hilarious family photos, witnessed a surprise engagement, and became photographers for others while chatting with many passersby. That being said, the lack of transparent and up to date accessible information is not acceptable. We really hope that Wave Hill will take the initiative to become much more transparent and open about what is accessible to all and what is not at this beautiful place.

Best Suggestion for Accessibility & to Plan Better:

Wave Hill is stunning,  if it's on your must-see list and you have a disability, contact Visitors Service prior with all of your accessible questions so you’re better prepared. Inquire about accessible restrooms too.
Telephone: 718-549-3200 ext. 326 
Email: visitorservices@wavehill.org

The Pandemic Safety Experience: 

• Reserve tickets ahead of time online.
• Mask up indoors.
• Practicing social distance is highly encouraged.
  
  

Accessibility Information: 
- Perkins Visitor Center is accessible with staff readily available to assist.
- The floor saddles in Glyndor Gallery were difficult for Annie's manual wheelchair.
- The Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory is inaccessible, there are a couple of steps up.
- Wheelchairs are available free of charge, on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Perkins Center which is a little past the midpoint of grounds from the entrance.
- We saw a small (2-person) Mobility Assistance Vehicle, reserved for visitors who need assistance. Based on our observation, it’s for a person using a small mobility device or a foldable wheelchair, not a person in a wheelchair.
- Service Animals are welcomed.
- Wheelchair parking on premises, note the parking lot is small.
- Caretakers are free, in our case I needed to call for them to add on that ticket.

Location: 
4900 Independence Avenue, Bronx NY
Phone: 718-549-3200
Website: https://www.wavehill.org/

Important: Information is subject to change, please visit https://www.wavehill.org/ for the most up to date details.
Oct 2024