Careers for All – Leeds Museums and Galleries by Carl Newbould, Dec 2020

When phone rang and I was offered a job at Leeds Museums and Galleries (LMG) to manage Careers for All I remember being stunned and silent. I was both incredibly excited but also apprehensive about entering a role so specific to SEND. I have a specialism in AEN (additional educational needs) which I picked up from my teaching degree at …

Putting the community first at the London Museum of Water & Steam, Nov 2020

At the London Museum of Water & Steam we have four values which we try to live out in everything we do. Helpful, Knowledgeable, Inclusive and Fun. But how do you live those values in the middle of a global pandemic which has closed your Museum? For us it started with asking the question “who needs our help?” and the …

What do SEND families want from museums in a time of COVID?

Kids in Museums, Autism in Museums and Sam Bowen carried out a survey specifically for SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities) families all about their visits to museums pre and post lockdown. Interrogating the data Autism in Museums has come up with ideas to support accessibility and inclusion that all museums, galleries and heritage venues should be thinking about in …

Intersecting Art and Science to Support Autistic Children – National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Aug 2020.

Andrea Stahel, Community & Access Programs Manager, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. As many of us appreciate, art-making can be incredibly meditative and in difficult times, a source of solace. This year has brought new challenges for children as they adapt to changes in their education, family and social lives. Children can often find disruptions to their daily routine challenging, …

Engaging families with autistic children in outdoor museum spaces, Natural History Museum, June 2020

By Laura Davison and Marie Hobson, Audience Research and Insight Team, Natural History Museum, London, U.K. audienceresearch@nhm.ac.uk The Natural History Museum has embarked on an ambitious project to re-connect people and nature, known as the Urban Nature Project (UNP), through transforming our outdoor spaces and developing a national programme of activity. To ensure that our redeveloped Gardens and associated family …

Early Morning Explorers at the British Museum, April 2020

In 2019 the British Museum launched its Early morning explorers’ events; relaxed sessions for families who would benefit from visiting the museum in a quieter environment. The events are for both children and/or parents with sensory processing requirements including Autism so that families who would otherwise be unable to attend can enjoy the Museum together. These were set up in …