The phrase 'you are not special if everybody has access to you' might apply to people in the public eye who are fearful of the negative consequences of overexposure.
But in the museum sector, being 'special' is rightly seen as being about achieving broad appeal and having the ability to enthuse, inform, educate and excite multiple audiences.
This point is made by Amy Cameron, the equality champion at the National Army Museum: “Access and inclusion at the National Army Museum is about making the museum work as well as it can for everyone. We understand that our collections belong to everybody and all members of society have a right to visit and use them, both on and offline.”
Of course many would agree with this, but what access to museums for disabled people means in practice is an interesting and evolving subject – and one that has many dimensions. While the physical dimension of access is still critical, it remains all too easy to get obsessed by the width of doors, levels of lighting and how fit for purpose the accessible toilets are.
It is fair to say that this obsession often stems from the fact that physical access still represents the biggest barrier many disabled people face when visiting museums and galleries. However, sometimes a disproportionate focus on the physical dimension of access can distract from other emerging dimensions.
For example, intellectual access has established itself as a key area for discussion for the sector. As the Museums Association’s Museums Change Lives campaign document puts it: “The best museum displays are both scholarly and popular, meeting the needs of people of all ages and experience, from novices to experts.”
Understanding the different dimensions of museum access for disabled people and how to achieve inclusion in this area requires open and honest debate. Both internally and externally, expectations need to be managed, but more importantly, partnerships established to inform decision-making and drive action.
These partnerships need to include stakeholders and subject matter experts – and, of course, disabled people need to be at the heart of the process.
The point is well made by Miranda Stearn, the head of learning at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, following an access review by Goss Consultancy on behalf of Shape Arts. “A positive step has been made to go beyond explaining why certain things cannot be changed and instead work together to find practical solutions, in the short, medium and long-term. Getting external advice through an access review helped with this." she says.
“When we receive feedback highlighting shortcomings in our current provision, we try to take the opportunity to have open and honest conversations about what we can do to improve, how and when.
"Access and inclusion is a shared responsibility across departments, and it has been a real joy to see colleagues in different teams working together, taking responsibility for making sure principles of inclusion are embedded in the practicalities of the decisions we make.”
The importance of a strategic and inclusive approach to managing access cannot be underestimated. Museums should adopt a strategic approach and develop an access roadmap containing the following key elements:
All of the above requires good governance and alignment with the organisation’s business planning process. It is critical that access and inclusion is seen as a key to the success of the museum and not a side project. To achieve this there needs to be clear accountability and a reporting requirement.
Delivery plans often fail because it is not clear who is responsible for delivering on them and/or how they add value to the wider business plan.
The best organisations are those that take a cross-departmental approach to delivering access and inclusion; where being able to demonstrate ability and progress in this area is a key competency requirement of all staff, and a key performance indicator for every function.
The access standard and delivery plan outlined above help to achieve this, as do designated board sponsors for access and inclusion, and departmental champions.
However access and inclusion is defined and understood, it needs to be realistic, relevant and achievable by museums of all types and sizes. There is a risk of over-complicating the subject. At a very basic level, it’s worth remembering that access is about ensuring that everything a museum does and provides can be reached and understood by all.
Nick Goss is the managing director at Goss Consultancy, which works across the creative and cultural sector and is an access training and consultancy delivery partner for Shape Arts.
But in the museum sector, being 'special' is rightly seen as being about achieving broad appeal and having the ability to enthuse, inform, educate and excite multiple audiences.
This point is made by Amy Cameron, the equality champion at the National Army Museum: “Access and inclusion at the National Army Museum is about making the museum work as well as it can for everyone. We understand that our collections belong to everybody and all members of society have a right to visit and use them, both on and offline.”
Of course many would agree with this, but what access to museums for disabled people means in practice is an interesting and evolving subject – and one that has many dimensions. While the physical dimension of access is still critical, it remains all too easy to get obsessed by the width of doors, levels of lighting and how fit for purpose the accessible toilets are.
It is fair to say that this obsession often stems from the fact that physical access still represents the biggest barrier many disabled people face when visiting museums and galleries. However, sometimes a disproportionate focus on the physical dimension of access can distract from other emerging dimensions.
For example, intellectual access has established itself as a key area for discussion for the sector. As the Museums Association’s Museums Change Lives campaign document puts it: “The best museum displays are both scholarly and popular, meeting the needs of people of all ages and experience, from novices to experts.”
Understanding the different dimensions of museum access for disabled people and how to achieve inclusion in this area requires open and honest debate. Both internally and externally, expectations need to be managed, but more importantly, partnerships established to inform decision-making and drive action.
These partnerships need to include stakeholders and subject matter experts – and, of course, disabled people need to be at the heart of the process.
The point is well made by Miranda Stearn, the head of learning at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, following an access review by Goss Consultancy on behalf of Shape Arts. “A positive step has been made to go beyond explaining why certain things cannot be changed and instead work together to find practical solutions, in the short, medium and long-term. Getting external advice through an access review helped with this." she says.
“When we receive feedback highlighting shortcomings in our current provision, we try to take the opportunity to have open and honest conversations about what we can do to improve, how and when.
"Access and inclusion is a shared responsibility across departments, and it has been a real joy to see colleagues in different teams working together, taking responsibility for making sure principles of inclusion are embedded in the practicalities of the decisions we make.”
The importance of a strategic and inclusive approach to managing access cannot be underestimated. Museums should adopt a strategic approach and develop an access roadmap containing the following key elements:
- A clear and agreed access vision on what being accessible and inclusive really means for them and their stakeholders.
- A multi-dimensional access standard helps to communicate what should be expected, in the area of access, in the way the museum operates and delivers services.
- An access delivery plan, informed by an access audit, pulls together and effectively communicates what needs to be done, and by when. The access delivery plan should also outline roles and responsibilities, priority areas and success criteria.
All of the above requires good governance and alignment with the organisation’s business planning process. It is critical that access and inclusion is seen as a key to the success of the museum and not a side project. To achieve this there needs to be clear accountability and a reporting requirement.
Delivery plans often fail because it is not clear who is responsible for delivering on them and/or how they add value to the wider business plan.
The best organisations are those that take a cross-departmental approach to delivering access and inclusion; where being able to demonstrate ability and progress in this area is a key competency requirement of all staff, and a key performance indicator for every function.
The access standard and delivery plan outlined above help to achieve this, as do designated board sponsors for access and inclusion, and departmental champions.
However access and inclusion is defined and understood, it needs to be realistic, relevant and achievable by museums of all types and sizes. There is a risk of over-complicating the subject. At a very basic level, it’s worth remembering that access is about ensuring that everything a museum does and provides can be reached and understood by all.
Nick Goss is the managing director at Goss Consultancy, which works across the creative and cultural sector and is an access training and consultancy delivery partner for Shape Arts.