Long Island’s newest cultural institution set to open February 17, 2026
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on October 30, 2025, for the Museum of Disability History at The Viscardi Center–a one-of-a-kind exhibition space bringing together art and artifacts that present the history, way of life, and identity of a vibrant disability community and a place where visitors of all ages can learn and reflect. Its collection is made up of over 8,000 artifacts, documents, books, and photographic images that chronicle the story of the disability rights movement from its origin through modern-day. In addition, positioned in its original location within the building and set up as occupied by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., his office gives visitors a peek into his journey from a disabled young man to a trailblazing entrepreneur and one of the world’s leading advocates for people with disabilities.
The museum was founded in 1998 and originally located in Buffalo. In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it closed its doors. In spring 2024, the Museum of Disability History became part of The Viscardi Center network as a natural extension of the Center’s mission to educate, employ and empower youth and adults with disabilities. A brand-new 4,500 square foot museum space was built within the Kornreich Institute for Disability Studies on the Viscardi campus.
A model of accessibility, the museum officially opens to the public on February 17, 2026. It offers: School Field Trips and Educational Resources; Group Tours; Traveling Exhibits; Venue Rentals; and Educational Workshops for Businesses/Organizations.
Sharing there are approximately 250,000 Nassau County residents with disabilities, and 280,000 in Suffolk County, Dr. Chris Rosa, President and CEO of The Viscardi Center, said, “By opening the Museum of Disability History at The Viscardi Center, we’re not only curating disability history and culture, we’re making history by bringing a one-of-a-kind cultural institution to the heart of Long Island.”
“Adding this important museum to our list of cultural sites is very, very exciting,” County Executive Bruce Blakeman stated at the ceremony. “The fact that we have the only museum of disability history in all of America makes me very proud… Dr. Viscardi was a pioneer in disability rights, so it’s very fitting that this Museum of Disability History be at The Viscardi Center.” He further noted the importance of museums to the local economy and the significant increase in attendance seen at cultural facilities over the past four years.
Nassau County provided $500,000 to help with the cost of the construction and County Executive Blakeman announced it will contribute $100,000, commencing in January 2026, to use towards marketing. Capital funding was also provided by the U.S. Senate, the New York State Assembly and Senate, private donors, and foundations.
Curators, Ignacio G. Galan & Jordan Whitewood-Neal, said, “It has been exciting to explore such an expansive collection and use it as a source of inquiry. Our goal in the curation of this exhibition was not to find or express one history, but many disability histories that have unfolded in parallel and tension in the United States. With that goal, we have mobilized the collection in dialogue with loans and reproductions that expand its reach, bridging historical and contemporary disability narratives. We want the exhibition to raise key questions for audiences, enabling them to dive into those multiple histories, and we have benefited from feedback and contributions from many individuals throughout a truly collective curatorial process.”
“People with disabilities are the world’s largest minority group and the only minority group anyone can become a member of,” said Museum Board Chair Steven Markowitz. “Unless you are disabled, or have a disabled family member, you may not know much about that world. There’s so much to know about the story of the lives in the history of people with disabilities.”
Learn more, book school and group tours, and purchase tickets, sponsorships, and membership, at Museumofdisabilityhistory.org
The Viscardi Center, a network of non-profit organizations, provides a lifespan of services that educate, employ, and empower people with disabilities. Its programs and services include Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work youth transition services, vocational training and job placement, day habilitation without walls, inclusive higher education, digital accessibility services, and entrepreneurship to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. It is also the publisher of Able News, a digital news platform for, by, and about people with disabilities.