Museums Forum Improving Accessibility in Museums

Do you want to improve your offer for disabled visitors, staff and volunteers? Would you like to learn from colleagues across the region, share your own ideas or pick up tips and advice?

Our host, Hull Museums, have twice been shortlisted in the Best Accessible Museums category of the Family Friendly Museums Award and we are delighted that they are welcoming us to the newly reopened Maritime Museum. Join friends old and new from across the North in an interactive and informative day.
The forum will include:.

• Opportunity to learn how Hull Museums' approach to welcoming disabled visitors is embedded throughout their organisation - from Front of House to exhibitions and resources
• Case studies- hear from a range of museums and heritage organisation
• Presentation - Through Our Eyes: reframing collections together. 'Through Our Eyes' worked with people with lived experience of dwarfism to reframe Showtown's circus collections, resulting in long-lasting impact for communities and the organisation. Join Showtown and a member of the project's steering group for practical tips on inclusion and to see how you can apply this learning in your work.
• Tour of the museum
• Workshop - Beyond vision: developing multi-sensory interpretation
• Approaching interpretive planning with a multi-sensory perspective can offer a more engaging and accessible approach. It is a disability gain, making a better experience for everyone. This experiential session will draw on aspects of The Sensational Museum’s Interpretation toolkit to encourage you to explore collections through a multi-sensory approach before planning how you will interpret them.
• Time to network will be available throughout the day , including over lunch
• Show and Tell - delegates are encouraged to bring along an access resource they have developed to share during an informal networking session

Booking: Please restrict booking to two people per organisation and only book if you are committed to attending, so that we give everyone a timely opportunity to book and remove the added paperwork required in dealing with cancellations. If for some reason you can no longer attend, please let us know asap so we can reallocate your place.

How to get there: The Maritime Museum is in the centre of Hull. It is up to a 10 minute walk from Hull Paragon Station, which is the major interchange for trains and buses. Car parking is just across the road in Princes Quay multistorey car park. Further information here: Plan your visit to Hull Maritime Museum – Hull Museums and Gallery

Access information: The entrance is via a ramp or steps. There is a lift to the 1st floor. Blue Badge parking is available on Paragon Street just a couple of minutes away. You can find out all information, including a Visual Story and Quick Access Guide at: Access at Hull Maritime Museum – Hull Museums and Gallery

Catering: As part of MD North’s commitment to environmental responsibility and carbon reduction, catering for our in-person events is vegetarian and vegan. We encourage you to bring a reusable hot drink cup and water bottle, and perhaps a Tupperware to take home any leftovers to minimise food waste.

If you have any queries on the day, then please telephone or text Liz Denton on 07785 458220