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The AMSE Foundation received a $12,000 grant from the state to add more sensory-friendly accessibility to their museums across Oak Ridge.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — For families of people with special needs, it can be hard to find places that won’t overwhelm their loved ones.
“This museum is so much fun, and I’m so glad that these families won’t have to miss out on that,” Kami Morgan, the executive director of local nonprofit Xander’s Place, said.
Xander’s Place is partnering with the American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation to create sensory-friendly spaces and experiences for people who struggle with overstimulation.
“We have just received a $12,000 grant from the state to help us work with partners in the community to develop ADA accessibility at this museum and the AMSE family collections of museums,” said Matt Mullins, Director of Marketing and Communications for AMSE.
Together, AMSE and Xander’s place are planning to create a visual guidebook of the museum, so that people know what to expect before they visit. They’ll also provide fidget toys, headphones and quiet spaces to make the museum less overstimulating.
“Having a quiet space in their museum is going to be a really big thing for a lot of families, I think. Even just knowing that it’s there, even if you don’t use it, it can kind of calm you down a little bit just knowing that you have that option,” Morgan said.
The museum says they’re excited to provide an opportunity to expand their inclusivity to visitors.
“With this partnership with Xander’s Place, we’ll be able to find that nice, thin balance where we’re not pushing people over the edge with too much going on, and we’ll give them just the right space to find and go through the museum at their own pace,” Mullins said.
And Xander’s place tells 10News that the families looking for spaces like this for their kids really appreciate the effort that’s being put in.
“They specifically came to these events because they knew there was going to be a safe space for their kid if they needed it,” Morgan said.
Mullins said that he’s glad the museum is helping people get to experience learning their own way.
“Expecting people to show up and be ready to learn in our way is a bit of an over assumption, Mullins said. “It’s our goal to be able to find people where they are, and encourage them to a new place, to a new creative space or just to a new set of experiences.”
