Museums and Progress on Inclusive Tourism

Viviane Panelli Sarraf specializes in museum accessibility.

Jessica Zarin Kessin specializes in toys that facilitate developmental progress. She should be known by all museums - especially children's museums.

Ansel Lurio, an M.A. candidate in the Cooperstown Graduate Program, SUNY Oneonta, is a voice within the museum profession commenting on the need for inclusion. Here is an excerpt from his post at the AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo blog:

An Eye on Accessibility

Starting with the comment at the general session on  Friday that the "Spark" video should have been closed captioning, access to museums, both for visitors and staff, has been a major issue at this year's conference.

This is an impassioned topic: All of us know someone who has special access needs or have special needs ourselves. At the Q&A for a session on Friday afternoon, "Autism and Access: Connecting with Museums," museum professionals who have children with autism and those who have high-functioning autism themselves, told personal stories of how museums they have visited deal with autism. The session not only dealt with autistic people as visitors to museums but autistic volunteers as well.  I know that it is often hard for autistic individuals to hold a job, and museums can help them with life-skills by welcoming them as volunteers.

Progress on inclusion in the area of the industry known as Cultural Tourism depends on pioneers and prophets like Viviane. Jessica, and Ansel. Their work is a refreshing sign of hope.