Is your museum’s digital 'shop window’ bringing in people with disabilities or are the 'shutters' down?

11 million Britons have a limiting long-term illness, impairment or disability.[i] 54% say they avoid going to new places when they can’t find the relevant information before visiting.[ii] In today’s digital age, this means basic access information which helps ease social isolation and depression, and prevents visiting disappointment, frustration, embarrassment, and distress, is unavailable on many venues’ web and social media sites. Even excluding people who have temporary or unregistered access needs[iii], that’s 6 million potential visitors lost to museums and galleries. Multiply that by all the friends and family who can’t or won’t go without the person concerned, and it’s a huge moral and economic deficit.

All my life, I’ve need to know in advance what sites will be like to gauge whether relatives with physical and cognitive disabilities will be able to access and enjoy them. As a heritage worker with particular experience of learning services and volunteer management, I’ve encountered a wide variety of disability needs and ways to be more inclusive. More recently, I’ve been assessing the access information on just over 3% of the 1,178 UK museum websites being evaluated for the State of Museum Access 2018 report. Overall figures will be revealed when the SOMA report comes out later this year, but in my sample, 20% had no access information whatsoever.

Contrary to what you might expect, there aren’t any specific criteria under the Museum Accreditaton Scheme for what and how access information is provided online. Reputable digital designers with good briefs should meet basic standards such as ensuring use of accessible fonts and colour contrasts, and that access is maintained on handheld devices as well as PCs. However, it’s non-techie museum-workers such as you and I who provide the content for websites. That’s what I’ll be discussing here.

Is access information hidden or simply not there?

When did you last look at your museum’s online profile? Start from a search engine and see what access information you can find. If you can’t find anything within a couple of minutes, chances are you’ll give up. Someone with access needs will probably persevere for longer but they shouldn’t have to and may not be able to. I suggest that if the information can’t be found on a website within two or three clicks, it’s either too well hidden or it isn’t there at all.

There’s no such thing as ‘disabled’ or ‘full’ access

Some museums in historic buildings regretfully state that ‘disabled’ access is impossible. Listed status can have significant limitations on physical access but it isn’t an excuse not to tell potential visitors what the limitations are so they can make informed decisions or to be creative with an accessible offer. In contrast, other museums state that their building is “fully accessible” which is also unhelpful because needs are diverse. Such statements are usually because ‘disability’ has been equated with ‘wheelchair user’ -an assumption possibly perpetuated by the generic logo for disability. In my sample of museum websites, around 20% gave very little access information and what they did provide was almost exclusively aimed at wheelchair users. Although an important audience, regular wheelchair users comprise just 7.3% of people with disabilities.

Making access information easy to find

Where should access information be located on a website? I’d discourage museums from providing it as part of the introductory blurb. Scrolling down through varied text and pictures is hard work. It's best not to spread it across more than one section such as ‘Facilities’, ‘How To Get Here’, and ‘When to Visit/Opening Times’. There should either be a clear link on the homepage or on a banner on every webpage labelled ‘Access’. A more inclusive approach is to include the access information (clearly titled) under ‘Visitor Information’.

Some museum websites provide links to third party ones such as ’Disabled Go’ where information about their access is given. This usually has the advantage of being detailed but I think it can disconnect the welcome from the place and the people there. For a while it’s been deemed good practice to provide an access statement online. This shows good intentions but it can read as an internal policy document couched in legal terminology to meet corporate requirements, rather than as friendly, practical tool for people who’d like to use the service. If putting the access information in a download such as a PDF can't be avoided, it should be easy to read including by assistive technologies. There’s plenty of advice out there on how to do this.[iv] It’s great if the information is also provided as a podcast or in a short, sub-titled film.

Backing-up the welcome with practical assistance

The best websites extend a warm, first person welcome using ‘you/us’ and ‘all/every visitor(s)’ rather than ‘they/them’ or ‘disabled people’. They make a specific offer to assist visitors who require extra assistance or specialist facilities. This offer is made real by giving a named person or a job title to contact in a variety of ways, not just telephone. This information should be provided in the access section rather than in a separate part of the website. It’s insufficient just to say “Contact us for more information”. “Only guide dogs are allowed” can sound negative. It's better when a museum welcomes assistance (not just guide) dogs. This is given more meaning if it's stated that water is offered for them.

Sub-dividing access information

It’s positive when websites acknowledge that not all disabilities are visible, that some visitors will have multiple needs, and that the museum team understand this, even though, for ease of use, the access sub-headings on the website may be particular groupings of disability. If there's a lot to say so the museum has opted for a separate link to each one of these, it's useful to have links there to the rest of them for people who have multiple needs.

Some museums don’t like to segment by ‘disability’ because it can segregate or exclude people who might find a service useful who don’t identify as disabled. These venues prefer to list under different facilities. Unless the museum is tiny, if access information is listed under facilities, it’s helpful to repeat it in the access section.

Some resources help several different audiences

Some information is useful for several different audiences with access needs. For example, a downloadable plan of the museum which shows where narrow doorways, steps, lifts, and chairs are situated. Some people need to come when the museum is likely to be less busy and to events that don't require queuing, so such information will help them to decide. It’s a selling point if the museum has an entry fee but waives it for those accompanying people with disabilities. It's a deterrent if you require proof that someone is disabled.

Any access resources available at the museum should be listed on the website together with any charges, if they need to be pre-booked, and the means to do this. Resources could include audio guides, audio described guides (recorded or in person), braille guides or panels, captioning on films, ear defenders, handling/tactile objects, induction loops, large print literature, magnifying glasses, tactile/raised maps or diagrams, sensory kits, and transcripts of audio-visual material. 

Some SEND[v] resources created for learning sessions can also be useful and fun for drop-in visitors. An adult with disabilities may not think or want to look for a resource under ‘Schools/Education/Learning’ so it’s good when there are links to any of these in the access section too. The same applies to events that cater for or are designed to be inclusive to people with specific needs. If an event is only mentioned in the event listings, it may be missed by people using the access information even though they may be the main target audience for it.

Getting there and knowing what to expect

Most of the museum websites I’ve looked at, consider access from the museum carpark or only from the building entrance(s), rather than from the grounds or streets that surround it. These need to be navigated before someone arrives and not everyone can drive to the nearest disabled parking bay. Nevertheless, it’s important that the parking options are given, preferably accompanied by a clear map with a scale. Distances really matter when your mobility is limited. Ideally, there'll be descriptive guides from the nearest car parks and public transport termini[vi], as well as between and within buildings on the site. Such guides are more than just ‘how to get here’. They describe the environment being traversed -ground surfaces, landmarks, distances etc. They primarily benefit blind or partially sighted visitors but are also useful for people with physical access needs.[vii]

Up-to-date photographs of the routes to and of spaces around the museum, are very useful for some potential visitors. They assist people to anticipate what it’ll be like, particularly if they find it difficult to imagine unfamiliar environments from written or verbal descriptions. This can help with their preparation and reduce anxiety. A progression from a gallery of images is to offer visual stories of possible museum visiting experiences. This can help visitors with conditions such as dementia or with learning disabilities. Note that there are correct ways to subtitle images on websites so they can be read by screen readers.

Including non-gallery areas

Some websites forget to cover all indoor, outdoor, and connecting public spaces. Like lots of people with disabilities, if my dad can’t access the café or a toilet at a museum, he can’t come. If it isn’t possible to include the on-site or nearest café because it’s under separate management, there should be a link to the café’s website. Hopefully, even if the museum doesn’t have a Changing Places toilet (without which some people can’t visit), it will have one that is ‘accessible’ or ‘ambulant accessible’. It’s important to distinguish between the two types because an ‘ambulant accessible’ toilet can’t accommodate a wheelchair and has no facilities for colostomy bag users. ‘CAE Managing Accessible Toilets’ provides a handy summary of the differences and what these toilets should be like for users.[viii] Accessible toilet facilities are often crucial so if the one at the museum is out of order, it needs to be signposted promptly at the entrance and on all external communication platforms if the problem won’t be resolved quickly.

Getting feedback and celebrating progress

Museums should facilitate and encourage constructive criticism from users with disabilities including those who haven’t yet made it to the door -they may learn why and so be able to make it possible. If the museum team have received some disability awareness training or even received an award for their access offer, it’s shame when this isn’t celebrated on the website. It’s good publicity and it can reassure people who don’t always receive the best reception. If the museum is getting helpful reviews from disability websites such as Euan’s Guide, I suggest providing a link to them. What better recommendation to people with access needs than positive comments?

New legislation and playing a part in improving access

This year the UK implements an EU directive which will require public sector websites and mobile apps to be “perceivable, operable, understandable and robust” by 2021.[ix] This will mean following a set of principles and techniques when building, designing, maintaining and updating them. Public bodies will be expected to fix any issues or provide alternatives and provide details of this, or to explain why some content is inaccessible. Regardless of whether or not a museum is run by a public body, everyone who works there has responsibility for making it as accessible and welcoming as possible.

It’s likely that you’ve read this post because you already have a concern for inclusion, so some of the suggestions made here may seem obvious. Yet a number of museum websites miss opportunities to be more helpful. Making changes requires understanding, willingness, and time. The latter is often in shortest supply as services are increasingly stretched. However, simple improvements can make life-changing differences, while boosting the museum’s footfall. You can play your part by flagging-up weaknesses in your museum’s digital ‘shop window’ and getting involved with improving it.

Sharing best practice

If you know a museum with really good accessibility information on its website, please let me know and I’ll share the exemplar. Often the best ones aren’t flashy or the result of lots of funding, they’re clear, functional, and regularly reviewed.

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[i] Family Resources Survey 2011/12 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-facts-and-figures/disability-facts-and-figures#fn:1
[ii] VocalEyes Report
[iii] Over the last year, I’ve been supporting a friend who has been temporarily disabled by cancer and its treatments. Walking and digesting information can be very difficult for her. Cultural experiences play a very important part in improving her well-being.
[iv] Microsoft 'Make your Word Documents Accessible' 10 very basic rules for making a Word document will look good and make good Braille, Large Print, DAISY, PDF etc. More in depth use of style sheets.
WebAIM - Microsoft Word Accessibility Techniques with useful screen grabs showing how each element is achieved.[v] Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
[vi] If there are many, choose the most used.
[vii] Organisations like VocalEyes and the RNIB can advise on creating descriptive guides.
[viii] If you offer the loan of a wheelchair, please don’t keep it in the toilet room. The loan of a wheelchair is a nice goodwill gesture but regular users will have their own. Is yours habitually cleaned and maintained e.g. tyres checked? Is it actively offered to visitors and easy to get out? I know more than one heritage site where a sad, old wheelchair sits in a cupboard and has never been used.[ix] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/LSU/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2016.327.01.0001.01.ENG