National Endowment for the Arts ADA Tip Sheet

Standards Specific to Assembly Areas

Assembly areas include spaces such as classrooms, lecture halls, meeting rooms, movie theaters, auditoriums, theaters, concert halls, performing arts centers, amphitheaters, arenas, and stadiums.

Most of these changes can be found in sections 221 and 802 of the 2010 Standards. The following are some of the relevant standards for arts and cultural organizations:

Dimensions: A single wheelchair space must be 36 inches wide, while two wheelchair spaces adjacent to one another need only be 33 inches wide each.

Path of Travel: Wheelchair spaces must be on an accessible route but may not overlap another wheelchair space or the circulation path.

• Note: This means that access to a wheelchair space cannot be through another wheelchair space, nor can the wheelchair space stick out into the aisle.

Dispersion of Wheelchair Spaces:

• Box Seats: Wheelchair spaces must be provided and located in not fewer than 20% of all boxes.Wheelchair spaces must be dispersed vertically, horizontally, to all levels, and around the performance area, if seating encircles the stage.

• Wheelchair spaces must provide spectators with choices of seating locations and viewing angles that are substantially equivalent to, or better than, seating for other spectators.

• In stadium-style movie theaters, wheelchair spaces must be located within the rear 60% of the seats in the auditorium.

• Wheelchair spaces generally should not be on temporary or movable platforms.

Lawn seating: There must be a wheelchair-accessible path of travel to lawn seating and any exterior overflow seating.

Companion Seats: At least one companion seat (fixed or movable, adjacent, and on the same level) must be provided for each wheelchair space, and be equivalent in size, quality, and comfort to other seats in the area.

Designated Aisle Seats: Designated aisle seats are those seats with folding or retractable armrests. Five percent of all aisle seats must be a designated aisle seat, identified as a designated aisle seat, and located close to accessible routes.

Number of Wheelchair Spaces Required: Use the following table to calculate how many wheelchair spaces must be provided: