Planning for Accessibility

Before visitors arrive, museums and science centers proactively plan to increase accessibility. The staff we talked with described tapping into expertise in the community, hiring consultants and learning from other professionals.

Requesting Services through Museum Websites

Museums routinely offer information about accessibility on their websites. This ranges from sensory guides like the one from SCI, the Science Center of Iowa, to information on how to schedule interpretive services. Katherine Davis (COSI) emphasized the importance of museum websites as a source for information and planning. “Museums should ensure they have information on all accessibility options, including ones that need prior scheduling or coordination such as ASL interpreters. This signals to guests that they are welcome and increases the chance that museums can be responsive.” For example, COSI’s website provides information to visitors on how to request accommodations that require prior scheduling such as providing an ASL interpreter.

Teachers Participate in a Pre-Run

When teachers have a chance to visit a science center before bringing a class, there is potential to have constructive exchanges. Iowa School for the Deaf has done field trips to the Science Center of Iowa (SCI) for lab experiences. To prepare, Jolie Pelds, the Director of Innovative STEM Teaching at SCI, talks with school staff on the labs that the center offers and the adaptations that can be made. SCI did a pre-run with teachers and used their feedback to tweak the physical layout of exhibits. For school groups, the staff realized the importance of a sight line so that all students could see the interpreters’ hands and faces.

Accessibility Audits & Advisory Committees

Accessibility audits generate a comprehensive plan for increasing accessibility. Staff at The Tech Interactive in San Jose, CA, worked with the Institute for Human Centered Design to conduct an accessibility audit, which helped to both establish a baseline understanding of their current space, and guide considerations for future accessibility improvements. For example, their audit revealed that the museum had been designed with accessibility for adults in mind, though children are their main audience. The Tech Interactive used this feedback to incorporate the ADA’s child-appropriate dimensions in new builds. Having examples and suggested guidelines supports staff in considering accessibility from the ground up when they are working on designing visitor experiences.

Similarly, the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio is working with an accessibility consultant in anticipation of changes to their campus. As part of their planning process, the consultant is advising staff on how they can design the visitor experience with differing abilities in mind. During the Conservatory’s renovations over the next 3-5 years, they will prioritize ensuring that pathways and transitions between spaces are easily navigable. In the short-term, the Conservatory is paying close attention to recommendations from the American Public Garden Association, such as including detailed descriptions of what people can expect, e.g., surfaces they will encounter, distances and overall layout, accommodations offered, and expectations of sensory experiences.

Accessibility is an OMSI value, and they’ve found ways to collaborate with members of the visually impaired community to gather input. While OMSI does not have designated roles for advising on exhibit design decisions that would affect visitor with visual impairments, they do work to involve people who have visual impairments in exhibit design processes Marcie Benne, Director of Engagement Research and Advancement, recalls a staff member who is visually impaired researching landmarks for navigating the science center that she then presented to the Exhibits Department. This left a strong impression on the design team. Members subsequently created accessibility plans and collaborated with consultants from the Oregon Commission for the Blind (OCB). They engaged advisors from the OCB community on a new project so that needs for people who are blind or visually impaired are taken into account from the beginning. Many people were able to serve as Zoom consultants. This work resulted in OMSI’s decision to subscribe to Aira.