The Ford Foundation is committed to providing an inclusive and equitable experience for all who work at or visit our building. Here, you’ll find accessibility information for the building’s main areas. For details about the accessibility features of each of our event spaces, go to the Event spaces page where you’ll find a clickable listing for each location. You can find directions to the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, public transportation information, and garden and gallery hours on the Visitor information page.
Building entrances
Our building has two entrances—one at 320 East 43rd Street, between Tudor City Place and Second Avenue, and the other at 321 East 42nd Street, between First and Second Avenues. Both entrances are wheelchair accessible and have power-assist doors.
We recommend that visitors use the 43rd Street entrance, as it provides same-level access to our reception desk, the Welcome Lounge, and the Ford Foundation Gallery. This entrance also features an accessible ramp and a covered, accessible vehicle drop-off for those arriving by car. Please be sure to direct drivers to the 320 East 43rd Street address to be dropped off directly in front of that entrance. The 42nd Street entrance provides access to our garden’s wheelchair-accessible path and our lower-level meeting rooms.
Building navigation, restrooms, and service animals
All floors are reachable by elevator and include wheelchair-accessible restrooms. On the 11th floor, a dedicated restroom is designed to accommodate people of short stature. Throughout the building, braille integration and wayfinding signage facilitate a more seamless journey for people who are blind or with low vision. We are pleased to welcome service animals; however, pets are not permitted.
Garden
A passenger lift in the southeast corner of the garden and an accessible pathway enable passage through the majority of the public garden. A sensory section of the garden allows people who are blind or with low vision to touch and interact with the plants, and includes braille signage as well as audio interpretation. There is also a reflecting pool and a fountain with a reverberating effect that allows visitors to hear the garden around them. You’ll find more information about our garden, including hours of operation, on the Visitor information page.
Ford Foundation Gallery
The Ford Foundation Gallery is fully accessible and is on the building’s East 43rd Street level. If you have questions about visiting an exhibition, please contact the gallery at [email protected].
Ford Family Auditorium
The auditorium has wheelchair lifts that facilitate access to accessible seating areas and the stage. There is also an induction loop that amplifies sounds for hearing aids.
Events
The Ford Foundation is committed to hosting accessible, inclusive events. Information about the accessibility features of our convening spaces is available in the individual listings at the bottom of the Event spaces page. If you are planning or attending an event and have questions about our accessibility services or require an accommodation, support, or service, please contact your event organizer or the foundation’s events team at [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the event. If an accommodation would be helpful and the lead time is less than two weeks, let us know and we will make every effort to help you fully participate.