As a small, rural museum, we have an additional problem -- should
we add ramps, etc. to original cabins and structures for handicapped
access?

I was told, maybe I am wrong, but if you show movies of the inside
of the buildings, take them near the buildings and explain, it will
work, and the period buildings will not have be altered.

However, we take it one step farther, we do give personal tours or the
agency themselves who sponsore the groups, provide interpretive guides,
and we have areas where they can touch certain artifacts, etc.

john

At 09:00 PM 6/3/96 -0600, you wrote:
>I am sending this message for Michael Ross, a museum consultant working
>for the Alberta Museums Association.  He would appreciate your help in
>the following matters:
>
>1.  what is currently being done by museums, particularly small museums
>and those in rural communities, to ensure physical and intellectual
>access by disabled visitors?
>(the visually impaired, mobiity and agility impaired, deaf and hard of
>hearing, older adults with multiple sensory impairments, and the mentally
>challenged).
>2.  what care is taken to develop universal access (i.e. to design
>physical structures and displays that will be universally accessible
>rather than taking steps to accommodate "special" needs?
>
>Please feel free to reply directly to this address.  Thank you for your
>assistance.
>
>Lori J. Shortreed
>Program Coordinator
>Stony Plain Multicultural Heritage Centre
>
>

John Martinson
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Work: Fort Walla Walla Museum
755 Myra Rd
Walla Walla, WA  99364
(509) 525-7703 (Work)