disabilities – American Alliance of Museums

“Access for All” Begins with Community Listening at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

By Alyssa O’Connell, Shasta Bray, and Alix Gasser

Cassandra Clement was always on the lookout. A self-described “stalker” of quiet places to sit at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (CZBG), she always took note of benches tucked away in more secluded areas, or any nook or cove …
Mind the Accessibility Gap

By Meredith Peruzzi

When we talk about equity, diversity, and inclusion in museums, we have a usual list of groups we mention: Black and Indigenous people, other people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, unhoused people, socioeconomically disadvantaged people, and …
Dispelling Myths: Seven tips to build your museum partnership with the disability community

By Heather Irish and Christine Sonnabend

“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 intellectual disabilities. He’s passionate about creating …
Four Things I Learned When I Started Thinking about Museum Accessibility

By Ryan Saglio

I first started working with the Disabilities community in 2011. Over the years, I’ve worked with individuals of all ages in their homes, at their jobs, and in their communities. The state I live in, Rhode Island, has had to …
More Than Human: extending the spectrum of ability

By Elizabeth Merritt

“If I could snap my fingers and be nonautistic, I would not. Autism is part of who I am.”—Temple Grandin The year 2015 marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which banned discrimination against people …

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