California Association of Museums: CAM e-News Monthly Museum Poll

Socioeconomic trends such as aging and other factors have contributed to the growth of a disabled population in the United States. People with disabilities make up a large and diverse group, with estimates that 50 million adults, or one out of every five, has a disability or impairment that causes limitations in activities. These limitations may include physical and developmental disabilities, speech, hearing and visual impairments, or the natural effects of the aging process. In February and March, CAM asked CAM e-News subscribers if their museums offer programs specifically targeted to this population or designed with accessibility in mind.

The results of this informal poll indicate that one-third of California museums (33.3%) are offering programs specificially for people with disabilities, while 61.6% indicate they do not. The programs offered for people with disabilities include American Sign Language tours, summer camps for children with special needs, and mulitmedia presentations for visitors who cannot access historical collections or live presentations. For museums that do not offer such programs, respondents mentioned physical considerations (such as steps) or lack of information about the target audience as barriers to designing programs for people with disabilities. Here are some comments from our subscribers:

We work to make the museums usable by people with disabilities independently, but offer services if they are requested. The services include an Access Day scheduled for people with disabilities who need to avoid crowds once per popular exhibition. Other services: semi annual mailing, semi annual hands-on workshop adaptable to all skill levels, a mental healthfulness project aimed at making the museums a useful resource for artists or art lovers with mental health conditions, etc. -- Tish Brown, Accessibility Coordinator, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

I wouldn't begin to know how to design or implement programs specifically for people with disabilties, nor do I have any information on the most prevalent type(s) of disability. -- Anonymous

Our goal is to adapt our current programs and tours so that they are universally accessible. We have built an Art Access Advisory Committee, made of community stakeholders, to help to provide information and feedback on our accessibility. Currently, we offer Touch Tours, large print label text, tours with augmentation devices, and docent training on universal access. In addition, this is our second year of collaborating with Very Special Arts - where we teach the artists in residence about an exhibition, they work with their students, and we host a culminating student exhibition. -- Caren Gutierrez, Education Programs Manager, Crocker Art Museum

We have a ranch/house museum almost all of which is on one level and accessible. Only the upstairs of the house is not accessible. The house is adobe and there is no obvious way to make the upstairs available without destroying it's authenticity. We have many disabled visitors, with that exception, they can tour the museum with everyone else. -- Anonymous