Accessibility Happens at the Group Level

On a recent episode of the Making the Museum podcast, architect Mark Wagner said something that stuck with me:

If one person cannot comfortably use a museum environment, the museum may not lose one visitor. It may lose their whole group.

A child who becomes overwhelmed, a parent who cannot navigate the space, or a companion who cannot participate may determine whether an entire family or group comes at all.

That means exhibition inclusivity is not just an individual issue. Attendance is often a group decision.

A family of four doesn’t usually choose four separate destinations. They usually choose one destination together.

This idea isn’t totally new. It has precedents in accessibility research and in tourism studies. But the way Mark said it makes the museum dimension of it especially clear.

And the inverse is equally interesting:

If your exhibition experiences are inclusively designed, you are not merely accommodating more individuals. You are adding whole groups, because you are making it possible for more families and friends to come together.

Here’s the thing:

Inaccessible exhibition experiences can cost you more than just one visitor.

But accessible, inclusive experiences can add more than just one.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
Inclusive design. An approach that intentionally accommodates the widest possible number of people. In museum exhibitions, inclusive design brings together physical, sensory, and neurological accessibility, along with cultural inclusion and usability, from the start. This affects everything, including content, layout, media, and interactives.