Ellie Mitchell
Kids handle exhibits and chatter excitedly at the top of their voices in the Australian Museum, where it would normally be peaceful this early in the morning.
The unusual scene makes Emma Gallagher’s heart lift because this space, on this day, is meant to be used in precisely this way.
Tactile exhibits are part of a more sensory experience at Australian Museum.Credit:Anna Kucera/Australian Museum
An autistic consultant, Ms Gallagher has helped design a more sensory-friendly environment for the Sydney-based museum, which is now among a growing number of public spaces, including cinemas, sports stadiums and supermarkets, that have made themselves more welcoming and inclusive of people on the spectrum.
“We had children come through the door who spotted the printed copy of the visual story that they had been sent. This one beautiful boy was so excited, like ‘mummy, mummy, it’s my story, we’re here, we’re here’,” she said.
“Kids don’t have to be told to be quiet or to stop or to not do things over and over again because everybody around them understands.”
About one in 70 people are thought to be on the autism spectrum, of those up to 96 per cent of people experience sensory processing difficulties. This might include hyper-sensitivity to smells, tastes, textures, noise or light.
Australian Museum has brought in special sessions to help kids with sensory issues.Credit:Anna Kucera/Australian Museum
Ms Gallagher consulted on the Australian Museum’s low-sensory Early Birds program, which won this year’s Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) Autism-Friendly Achievement Award.
Early Birds will return in 2022. For two hours before it opens to the general public each day, the museum will be accessible to those with sensory issues. The sound and lighting will be adjusted to their needs, trained support staff will be on hand, and there will be textured elements for attendees to touch and feel.
Australian Museum sustainability and access co-ordinator Zehra Ahmed said the program was aimed at removing barriers and playing to the strengths of visitors.
“We have a lot of the scientists on the floor there to talk about their particular area of study and work ... and they often have things that are tactile,” she said.
“Some people on the spectrum would really enjoy the sensory aspects that are embedded in so much of the museum, or they might have a particular interest in a scientific area.”
Some museums and galleries provide step-by-step guides with visuals, often called “social stories” and maps marking the sensory intensity of different areas to give visitors insight into what they will encounter when they enter.
An Aspect spokesperson said the first step to making a space autism-friendly was understanding people experience the world in many different ways.
“While no single strategy will work for everyone, a comprehensive set of strategies can make the difference between whether a person can access an environment or not,” the spokesperson said.
Sensory-friendly playgrounds have popped up across Australia in recent years, often including textured surfaces and play areas broken into smaller spaces to make play less overwhelming for children.
Coles and Woolworths supermarkets have a designated Quiet Hour from 10.30am to 11.30am every Tuesday at selected stores, where music is turned off, the volume is lowered on phones and registers, PA announcements and trolley collections are paused, and roll cages are removed from the supermarket floor.
Village and Event cinemas offer screenings with adjusted light and sound, letting people move around the cinema and make noise.
Ms Gallagher said organisations could take small steps that could have a big impact.
“Having a specifically sensory-friedly or autism-friendly event means that I can go there and be genuinely myself and not have to spend brainpower trying to pretend, trying to hide what I am,” she said.
“I get to feel included for authentically who I am.”
from https://www.smh.com.au/national/early-birds-find-museum-welcomes-those-…