In response to the inquiry as to whether a museum should charge admission for an aid to a disabled person, allow me to relate from years of personal experience. I am both a museum professional and an Occupational Therapist who has worked with disabled people for years. I have gone on numerous "outings" with disabled people, and never was I or an aid charged full admission. My suggestion is to charge full admission to the disabled person and nothing for the aid. The aid is there to assist the disabled person and therefore is not coming to the museum for entertainment, but to work. If you think that by allowing a very small group of aids in for free is going to break you financially, then think of it as excellent PR for your institution. Plus, who knows the aid may return as a paying customer when they are not working. The disabled person, I'm confident, will either return again or encourage others to do so.
Valerie Davis
Oconomowoc and Lake Country Museum
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Claudia Oakes 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 2:06 PM
  Subject: question


  Sorry, I accidentally hit send before typing the question.

   

  My institution, the Cradle of Aviation Museum, in Garden City on Long Island, currently offers a discount to non-ambulatory visitors.  We offer the same discount to personal care aides who accompany those visitors.  We have recently been asked by a physically challenged individual to change our policy to admit aides for free. I have checked with several other institutions, and from their comments and my own experience, no one I've heard from offers free admission to aides.  Some offer no discounts.

   

  The gentleman is persistent and has returned passes we sent for his and his aide's use, adamantly demanding that we change our policy.  I would appreciate knowing how other institutions handle admission charges for non-ambulatory visitors and their aides.  I have checked with AAM's Information Center, and they know of no standards or best practices.  Thank you.

   

   

  Claudia Oakes

  Chief Operating Officer

  Cradle of Aviation Museum

  [log in to unmask]

  516-572-0554

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