I am also an occupational therapist (and certified orthotist, who makes splints and braces for people with disabilities). I have worked not only in museums, but in higher education and the corporate world as well, so do strategic planning and change management as well.

Now that I am consulting, I work with quite a few museums to make the physical facility more accessible (by developing something called a Transition Plan, which identifies what is not accessible, how to correct it and make it more accessible along with an estimated cost). I also conduct disability awareness training for museum staff and volunteers so they are less hesitant about approaching or talking with people who have disabilities in a museum. I have found that staff and volunteers especially in the areas of education and guest services benefit from this type of training.

Museums would serve themselves and their visitors by thinking about accessibility issues while planning new exhibits and rennotaving existing ones. This includes thinking about the type of font used in graphic interpretives, font size and amount of print on the sign. High contrast in colors is also a good idea -- with dark lettering on a lighter background usually easier on the eyes. In thinking about older guests, it is important to think about larger print items -- for maps, guidebooks and interpretives. And for our guests who are hard of hearing or who are deaf, it is important to have print versions of any audio tour that is given. It is also important to have occasional seating throughout the museum, for elderly people, younger people on crutches after foot surgery or someone with AIDS who tires easily can sit and rest before continuing on their visit. Simply by offering this type of seating, museums lengthen someone's visit. If there is no place to sit down, visitors in need simply say "I'm tired, let's go home."

That is just for starters, of course. The most important thing to remember is that any changes for people with disabilities benefit ALL visitors. So changes are not being made "just in case someone rolls in with a wheelchair" or "in case someone who is blind" happens by.

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