Accessibility
Accessibility at Old North Church
At Old North Church & Historic Site, we aim to create experiences that are welcoming and accessible for our visitors. As a historic site that was built over 300 years ago, there are many challenges and obstacles as we improve the church’s accessibility. We are in the planning stage of several projects that will make our campus more accessible for people of all abilities.
We invite you to contact us to discuss your individual access needs. Email Julius James at jhobert@oldnorth.com.
Entrance
The entrance at 193 Salem Street, Boston, MA provides access to the historic church, the Washington Courtyard and Garden, and an accessible restroom.
Restroom
An ADA-compliant public restroom is located at the rear of the gift shop through an external door.
Service Dogs
We welcome service dogs. Emotional support dogs, comfort dogs, and other animals are not permitted.
Mobility
The church sanctuary is accessible for wheelchair users to explore the space.
Currently, our box pews are not wheelchair accessible. If you require wheelchair seating for a historic site event at the church, please contact Emily Spence at espence@oldnorth.com in advance and we will work with you to determine the best accommodation possible. If you need accessible seating for a church service, please contact Priscilla Burns at congregation@oldnorth.com.
Due to the historic nature of the buildings, some spaces – such as the steeple and balconies – will always require climbing stairs. Thanks to a partnership with UMass Boston, a virtual reality tour is available to allow you to explore our unique spaces from the comfort of home.
Language Accommodations
Our self-guided tour sheet for the church is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian. Our audio tour is available in English and Spanish.
Visual Accommodations
Our self-guided tour sheets are available in large print. Additionally, the text from our exhibit panels is available in large print binders for visitors who may have difficulty reading smaller text. The exhibit content can also be listened to as narration on the Bloomberg Connects app.
Handheld audio guides are available to support your tour of the church sanctuary. The guide contains 35 minutes of content in English or Spanish. The audio guide is particularly useful for visitors who learn best by listening, or those who may have difficulty reading our exhibit signage.
Auditory Accommodations
Assistive listening devices are available for group tours, church services, and any event in which speaking takes place over our PA system. Please ask a staff member to provide you with a headset.
The script for our audio guide is available upon request.