Accessibility
Physical Accessibility:
Old Sturbridge Village is an outdoor museum with unpaved roads that lead to houses, farms, shops, mills, and gardens typical of 19th-century rural New England. While more than half of the Village’s historic buildings have wheelchair-accessible entrances, interior access varies. The Village’s unpaved roads are generally firm and stable. Most roads are level, with steeper grades located near the Bullard Tavern, Glass Exhibit, and Herb Garden. Longer, more gradual grades are located near the Visitor Center and Freeman Farmhouse.
The downloadable Museum Accessibility Guide provides details concerning physical access to the Village and its programs. For more information on museum accessibility, contact the Visitor Center at 508-347-0290 or email us.
First Aid – Located behind Friends Meetinghouse. First-aid staff available during museum hours.
Food and Beverages – Several dining opportunities are available for visitors, all accessible.
Horse-Drawn Wagon – Provides transportation from the Bullard Tavern to the Blacksmith Shop. (Operating schedule varies seasonally.) The vehicle is equipped with a ramp; the driver can provide assistance.
Parking – Designated spaces are located near the Visitor Center, Oliver Wight Tavern, and at the Museum Education Center.
Restrooms – Accessible restrooms are located in Bullard Tavern, adjacent to the Countryside Gallery, Visitor Center, Oliver Wight Tavern, and Museum Education Center.
Sensory Opportunities – Sensory opportunities are available throughout the museum. Please ask our costumed historians about objects that can be handled.
Service Animals – Welcome in all exhibits. A water trough is located near the Blacksmith Shop.
Shopping – The Museum Gift Shop and New England Bookstore and the Miner Grant Store are accessible.
Sign Language Interpretation – Available by request, with at least 4 weeks advance notice. Please email visitorservices@osv.org
Strollers – Available for rent at the Visitor Center. Numbers are limited. Adapted strollers for children with disabilities are allowed in all buildings.
Wheelchairs – Available for loan at the Visitor Center and at the Museum Education Center on a first come, first served basis. Bring your own manual or electric wheelchair and receive reduced admission.
Autism Spectrum Resources:
Please feel free to utilize this know before you go guide, social story, visual schedule, and therapeutic self-guide for your visit. Created for visitors on the autism spectrum or those sensitive to stimulation, these resources will help to guide your trek around the Village, as well as prepare for a field trip or family visit. Please contact Museum Education with any questions by emailing osved@osv.org or calling (508) 347-0287.