Posts
Accessibility
4 Tips for Effectively Reaching Visitors with Disabilities
It’s been nearly three decades since the original Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was signed into law. Since the protective act was ratified, great strides have been made not just …
Programming Through the Lens of Empathy
At the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, two new public programs and one new high school tour are built on the premises that empathy is worth cultivating and listening to the …
Dispelling Myths: Seven tips to build your museum partnership with the disability community
“We want our students to do more than just wipe tables,” said Lucas LaFaver, vocational coordinator at St. Coletta of Greater Washington, a DC-based charter school for students with …
Speechless: A sensory exhibition charts a new path to accessibility in learning
Museums are constantly experimenting with how we can present content in ways that engage and inform a wide audience. Part of the challenge is to consider issues of accessibility and …
Museums Are Finally Taking Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities Seriously
For Andrew Miller, a trip to the Barbican Centre for the immersive exhibition "AI: More than Human" was a journey through poor inclusive design. Miller, the U.K. government's disability …
A Denver museum is enhancing the experience for people with color blindness
DENVER - For people who deal with color blindness, having the option to see the world in an enhanced way can help in a major way. Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is providing …
How art can help people with Alzheimer’s enjoy the moment
Nearly 6 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer's disease, and the number continues to rise. For many, this terminal diagnosis represents the start of a life with limitations. But …
Is This the World’s Most Accessible Museum?
Those without disabilities might not notice the innovations, but a museum in London is winning plaudits for its design and content. LONDON - On a recent afternoon, Clare Barlow, a curator …
Partnering with the Blind to Make Exhibits More Accessible
The opportunity to experience photography, art, and other museum exhibits can be life-altering to a blind person. “As a blind person, when I can experience a painting on my own without …
Welcoming Service Dogs to Your Museum
Service dogs are becoming more common as the years go on, and as museum professionals it can be a challenge to welcome them in among our collections. We worry about hair and dander, …
Sofa So Good: A word on behalf of older folks
I don’t know about you, but a career in museums has made it very difficult for me to be a satisfied museum visitor. I find that I am always peering into “how the sausage is made,” as it …
The Memory Café: Creating a museum program for people with dementia
At Conner Prairie—a Smithsonian Affiliate living history museum in Fishers, Indiana—we recently debuted a program for people with Dementia and Alzheimer’s. In partnership with the Central …