Cincinnati Art Museum gives parents of children with autism or other developmental disabilities a place where they can have fun without overwhelming them

It can be difficult to find a place to have fun that won’t overwhelm a child with autism or other developmental disabilities. Luckily, the Cincinnati Art Museum has just the thing for them: Sensory Saturdays.  

This program has been created for families with children who have autism or other developmental disabilities. On selected fourth Saturdays of the month, before public hours from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the museum’s gallery has fewer crowds and uses multisensory tools and resources to allow children to have a fun time at the museum.  

There is no registration required, and it is free. Families can just walk in at any time when the event is held. But if there are accessibility needs that have to be made for a child, the Cincinnati Art Museum must be contacted at least two weeks in advance.  

As families enter the museum, a map showing the different galleries with learning centers, with instructions on the back, is handed out. A bag is also given to each family or child with hands-on materials that are used to engage with art in the galleries. When done with supplies, visitors return to a bin that is marked with a “used” materials label.  

Visitors are encouraged to visit the Welcome Cart that holds sensory tools to make their visitor more memorable. There is also a private quiet space on the ground floor that is found by taking Elevator A to Level G. Gallery 116 is also a temporary quiet space.  

Before leaving, guests can also stop by the front desk to receive a take-home art project.  

Across online forums, parents have praised the Cincinnati Art Museum for having this program for their kids.  

The dates for the 2026-2027 year are Oct. 24, Jan. 23, Feb. 27, March 27, May 22, June 26, July 24 and Aug. 28.