Sesame Place Philadelphia Renews Certified Autism Center™ Designation, Continues Creating Inclusive Experiences for All

Big Bird character greets children and adults at Sesame Place Philadelphia, with a Certified Autism Center seal visible.

A child in a blue dress standing next to a large orange-haired puppet character holding a small brown stuffed animal.

A Muppet character with orange hair and a pink shirt hugs a brown teddy bear while standing on Sesame Street steps.

In 2018, Sesame Place made history as the world’s first theme park to earn the Certified Autism Center™ designation.

As the first theme park in the world to become a Certified Autism Center™, we are always looking for new ways to best support our guests and to deliver an inclusive, memorable experience for all.”

— Mike Taylor, park president of Sesame Place Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, April 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) proudly renews Sesame Place Philadelphia’s designation as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) after at least 80% of staff renewed autism and sensory training to equip them with up-to-date knowledge of skills and best practices to welcome, assist, and communicate with autistic and sensory-sensitive guests and their families when visiting the park. In 2018, Sesame Place became the first theme park in the world to become a CAC.

“Sesame Place’s partnership with IBCCES has led to meaningful enhancements at the park, including additional training for employees, pre-planning guides, and a variety of in-park resources,” said Mike Taylor, park president of Sesame Place Philadelphia. “As the first theme park in the world to become a Certified Autism Center™, we are always looking for new ways to best support our guests and to deliver an inclusive, memorable experience for all.”

In 2025, the park opened an upgraded low sensory room within its Family Care Center. The room has adjustable lighting, comfortable seating, and sensory toys to help promote relaxation and relieve stress. In addition, Sesame Place Philadelphia honored Autism Acceptance Month with a free giveaway of Julia Glo Pals Kits to guests who visited on Thursday, April 2 – World Autism Day. The park has also identified low-sensory areas for guests and offers low-sensory parade viewing and dining options. Noise-canceling headphones, provided by KidCo, are available for single-day use.

Sesame Place Philadelphia also offers a variety of other accessibility resources to assist guests before and after visiting. In addition to the Sensory Guide Sesame Place developed with IBCCES, the park offers an online Accessibility Guide, which includes an overview of services available at the park and individual ride access information.

“Renewing its Certified Autism Center™ designation is not only an accolade for Sesame Place Philadelphia, but also a testament to the park’s ongoing dedication to creating an inclusive space that empowers staff and welcomes all guests,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman. “We are proud of Sesame Place’s ongoing commitment, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact this certification will have on staff and guests alike.”

For 25 years, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.

To further support inclusivity efforts, Sesame Place Philadelphia is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, which are free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met IBCCES certification requirements.

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About Sesame Place Philadelphia
Sesame Place Philadelphia is the only theme park on the East Coast based entirely on the award-winning show, Sesame Street^®. The park has more than 25 Sesame Street-themed attractions, entertaining character shows and parades, an interactive Sesame Street Neighborhood, and everyone’s favorite furry friends. Celebrate family-friendly events all year long at Sesame Place including Elmo’s Eggstravaganza, Elmo’s Springtacular, Sesame Summer Splash, The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular, and A Very Furry Christmas. Conveniently located 30 minutes from Philadelphia and 90 minutes from NYC, Sesame Place is ideal for families with kids of all ages and was the first theme park in the world to become a Certified Autism Center. For more information, visit www.SesamePlace.com/Philadelphia/ and follow the park on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be industry leaders and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For 25 years, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 125 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.

In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and
safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare and workplace sectors.

IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.

Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
marketing@ibcces.org
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