USC PAM values a broad range of perspectives from our visitors, employees, volunteers, students, faculty, and community. The museum acknowledges that diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are vital to the USC PAM’s future viability, relevance, and sustainability. We as an institution continue to create policies and practices that help to eliminate barriers to participation, ensure that our offerings reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and the inclusivity to which we aspire.
Diversity
At USC PAM, diversity is defined as the characteristics and attributes that make each of us unique at the individual or group level. Diversity has many dimensions, including gender identity and expression, race, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and age; as well as cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, life experiences, skills, thoughts, perspectives, and ideas.
Equity
Equity involves acknowledging diversity, celebrating our differences and working together to eliminate barriers that prevent participation of all people and communities. Building equity requires that we seek an understanding of the underlying causes of disparities within our society, and strive to address and overcome them, in order to fulfill our commitment to providing equal opportunities in our employment and other practices.
Inclusion
While diversity always exists in social systems, inclusion and equity must be fostered. At USC PAM, we need to do this by cultivating an environment where people feel supported and listened to. As a museum with a global collection, it is our mission and responsibility to ensure that our staff, interns, and volunteers demonstrate cultural competence, and that our collections and programming reflect and respond to diverse needs, interests, and cultures of our communities here in Pasadena and beyond.
Accessibility
An accessible museum is one that is inclusive of, and makes accommodations for, people with all types of disabilities. At the USC PAM, we are committed to creating accessible environments throughout the institution’s physical building and in our practices; and providing the public with physical and intellectual access to the museum and its resources. We believe these commitments strengthen the institution for everyone.
Services for Visitors with Disabilities
Everyone is welcome at USC PAM. We aim to make our exhibitions and programs accessible to all visitors with the help of the following services and amenities. If you have accessibility needs please contact the museum ahead of time and they can assist you with accessible parking locations and other information. Please email: rochemic@usc.edu
Parking
Accessible parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to the museum.
Wheelchairs
A limited number of wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge. Please inquire at the Information Desk upon arrival. The museum welcomes your personal walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters.
Gallery Chairs
A limited number of portable gallery chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis, free of charge. Please inquire at the Information Desk upon arrival.
Closed Captioning
All videos for special exhibitions are closed-captioned.
Service Animals
In accordance with titles II and III of the ADA, USC PAM welcomes service dogs only. Service dogs must be housebroken as well as harnessed, leashed, or tethered to their accompanying individual.
With the exception of service animals that meet the federal government’s guidelines for animals trained to perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), visitors are not permitted to bring animals into USC PAM.
Restrooms
A fully accessible and gender neutral restroom is available at the museum, with changing table.