Learning from Disabled Access day
Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery learned from Disabled Access Day and benefited!
Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery took part in the the Disabled Access Day in March with the intention to see how they can promote what they already offer and what can be further improved. The event made them understand how much important it is to speak to their visitors to understand what they would like to find when coming to their building.
However, on the their Access Day, their lift broke down and the roof of the museum had a leak, therefore they were forced to take down the exhibition temporary. Still, they did not give up and had a rather successful day. The Museum staff was well prepared for the event in line with the unforeseen obstacles. At the welcome desk, visitors were greeted and invited to take part in craft activities, object handling or to simply visit part of the building that is usually less visited.
The most important part of the event was the feedback received from the visitors, who were pleased to see the willingness to promote awareness and getting involved in such initiatives. Many visitors provided their opinion on access issues not only to the Museum, but to the wider town. The Museum shared the information collected with the Access Group and town Council to try to make a change.
Their positive results could serve as incentive to other institutions willing to make improvements and learn about their possible obstacles and how to get around them. There are numerous similar initiatives in many European countries that can all help cultural sites making a difference.
