Desert Museum Agrees To Resolve Federal Disabilities Suit

PALM DESERT, CA — The Palm Springs Art Museum has agreed to resolve allegations that it violated federal law by failing to provide scripts for audio programs or properly functioning listening devices, as well as other aids and services, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

Under the settlement agreement, signed in Los Angeles federal court last week, the downtown Palm Springs museum, which also has an outpost in Palm Desert, will provide equipment and services free of charge to ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have full and equal enjoyment of all of the museum's exhibits, programs and activities in each of its locations.

The agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office resolves allegations that the museum was violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination by public places against individuals with disabilities.

Federal prosecutors said the museum fully cooperated with the government's investigation.

Under the agreement, the museum will provide captions or transcripts for all audiovisual programs or audio-only programs in permanent exhibitions; captions or transcripts for all temporary audio-visual programs if the museum has five or more days to make those arrangements; sign language or oral interpreters, assistive-listening devices, or real-time captioning for public programs, touring exhibitions and special events for which the museum has no captions or transcripts, and upon advance request; and advertisement of the availability of such aids and services.

The museum hosts collections of modern and contemporary art, glass, photography, architecture and design, and Native American and Western art.

— By City News Service / Image via Michail Petrov, Shutterstock.com