Project Results – Physical Changes - Inclusive Museums Ireland

Overview of the 5 Physical Changes achieved/underway

A selection of underfoot tactile surfaces including step edging, warning studs and strips in a silver and bronze and other coloured options including red and black — A selection of underfoot tactile surfaces including step edging options considered for the museum’s white marble main staircase

Installation of a sensory pod in the Museum
Installation of AsIAm Autism Friendly Accreditation signage at the Hunt Museum gate
Co-design, trialing and installation of the Accommodation Station in the Museum Reception area
Lighting upgrade in the Permanent Collection and Temporary Exhibition Gallery
Project underway to source and install step edging on the Museum’s main staircase

Background

Following AsIAm’s Sensory Audit report recommendations and those made by both working groups, the above physical changes to the Museum building were carried out.

1. The Sensory Pod

As part of the Autism Friendly Accreditation process, AsIAm request that organisations work towards providing a quiet space, where autistic visitors can go to self regulate. This challenged us to think creatively about small unused spaces in the Museum, and how one of these could be used to provide a dedicated quiet space. A space under the museum’s Blue Stairs was identified and a high degree of research was completed to find a supplier who could work with it. This led us to The Sensory Pod, who designed and installed the museum’s Sensory Pod. Funding was secured from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Media and Sport to deliver this accommodation, which is now regularly used by visitors.

Click here to find out about the sensory features in this space and for interior views of it.

Exterior view of the sensory pod which is located under a staircase, in a circulation area outside the Education Wing. It's walls are yellow. There is a low doorway above which hangs a blue sign with the words "Sensory Room" — Exterior view of the museum’s sensory room which is located outside the Education Wing

2. AsIAm Autism Friendly Accreditation signage

This physical intervention at the main gate to the Museum is an important communication tool. It highlights that the autism community are welcome in the Museum and that we are working to understand and meet their needs.

Metal sign displaying the AsIAM autism accreditation certificate issued to the Hunt Museum. The sign hangs on the railings outside the Museum. In the background are large gold letters spelling the words Hunt Museum. They hang on the front of the building — AsIAM Autism Friendly signage located at the entrance gate to the Museum

3. The Accommodation Station

This innovative accommodation was co-design by the Visually Impaired Working Group and the Autism Working Group. It is a self service facility from which visitors with sensory needs can borrow an aid to make their visit to the Museum more comfortable. We are currently on the second design iteration and overtime, we are committed to expanding the range of aids that it offers.

At present, visitors can borrow fidget toys, ear defenders, anti-glare dark sunglasses, text magnification pages and folding stools. It also provides Sunflower scheme lanyards, wristbands and lapel ribbons. Persons with a hidden disability can borrow one of these to discreetly communicate to staff and volunteers that they might need some support.

Hardcopies of our sensory maps will soon be made available through this accommodation. In the short to medium term we also plan to provide a multisensory trail kit which will aid neurodivergent people with wayfinding in the Permanent Collection.

A black wall hung unit with compartments which are white for the purpose of providing colour contrasting and making visible the aids provided. Some of these are organised in clear plastic boxes. Each compartment has a bright yellow label with black text communicating the aid provided. Above the unit is a sign reading "Accommodation Station. Please feel free to borrow an aid" — Different aids available from the Accommodation Station

4. Lighting upgrade

The need for this upgrade was identified by members from both working groups who experienced photosensitivity and other light related sensory challenges in our Permanent Collection and Temporary Gallery.

Autistic Working Group members advised that the inconsistent use of light in display cases, for example, warm vs white light and low vs strong light, caused different degrees of discomfort for them. Uneven light distribution on objects and poorly diffused light also caused sensory difficulties. Issues with shadows around objects and reflection were also reported. Some ceiling mounted spotlights caused peripheral glare.

Members of our visually impaired working group, some of whom have loss of central vision, and others, loss of peripheral vision, also shared some of the above challenges. The greatest issue for them was the uneven light in display cases which at times made it very difficult for them to see objects and to locate labels. They also found the shadows around objects very confusing.

Members worked with the Museum to create a priority list of spaces and display cases in the Permanent Collection requiring a lighting upgrade. They provided feedback on the lighting options trialed and confirmation on the ones to be rolled out.

Jewellery Gallery, The Treasury and Crucifix Room display cases were amongst those that received the lighting upgrade. Some before and after photos of these are available below. An alternative lighting option was partially trialed in the Prehistoric Ireland section of the Archaeology Gallery but unfortunately did not minimise the shadows around objects to the extent needed. In early 2025, more work is planned to try and address this problem.

Display case with Irish Stone Age archaeology objects. They are presented on two glass shelves, and on the base of the case. At the top of the case, mounted on the back wall, there are two small spearheads. Some object labels relating to these objects but also to ones on the shelves below are also mounted on the back wall. There are bad shadows behind the objects on the second shelf. — Irish Stone Age archaeology display case with shadows

Autism Working Group members also reported a range of sensory challenges in regard to the ceiling mounted spotlight system in the Temporary Gallery. For example, several members experienced high levels of glare from these lights. As part of the lighting upgrade, dimmer switches were added to the system, giving the Museum the ability to adapt light levels in this space with ease. This simple adjustment will enable us to run more frequent autism friendly/low sensory events in this space.

The Jewellery Gallery

The first day I visited the Jewellery Gallery, I could not wait to get out of it. I struggled with the light and found it too warm. To me, it felt like someone was dragging their nails down a blackboard – Nic Ryan Purcell, Autistic Working Group

The small Jewellery Room gallery. It was dark and claustrophobic. There are cases all along the edge of the room. There are harsh pools of light at the top of the cases. The light is not focused on objects so they are not lit well. There is also one case in the centre of the room holding very small objects. It is lit with white light which contrasts to the warm light in all the other cases. — The Jewellery RoOM was dark and claustrophobic with poorly defused light, causing many shadows around objects

The Jewellery Room gallery post lighting upgrade. The light in display cases is now evenly distributed across all objects and labels are fully visible. Two men stand in this space with their backs to the viewer — Jewellery Room post lighting upgrade. It now looks and feels bigger. Light is now evenly distributed across all objects and all shadows have been resolved.

The Crucifix Room

Display case with objects displayed in two tiers. From the top of the case, three elaborate rosary hang. Their beads are made from bone, ivory and other materials. The artificial light in this case is concentrated at the top of this display case. The small objects located on a glass shelf below the rosaries, and those under the shelf are very poorly lit. — poor lighting in a display case in the Crucifix Room

A display case with a range of crucifix which range is size. The largest on is displayed in the centre of the case and the majority of the light falls on it, leaving many others poorly lit. — poor lighting in a display case in the Crucifix Room

Display cases post lighting upgrade. The light on all objects is even and the shadows have been resolved — upgraded lighting in Crucifix Room display cases. all objects are now evenly hit and the shadows have been resolved.

Visually Impaired Working Group member, Meadhbh, stands pointing at the top of a display case in the Crucifix Room. She is highlighting that the severe pooling of light that was there previously has now been replaced with diffused light. — Meadhbh, Visually Impaired Working Group member, studies the lighting upgrade in a Crucifix Room display case

5. Step Edging on Main Staircases

The museum’s white marble staircases are sympathetic to the historic character and surroundings of the former Custom House in which the museum operates, but they pose a serious safety issue for many, including blind and visually impaired persons. These stairs enable visitors to the Museum and staff to access the Permanent Collection on the First Floor, the Cafe and the Education Wing on the Ground Floor, and the Temporary Exhibition Gallery and toilet facilities, located on the Lower Ground Floor.

View of white Marble staircase leading from Reception to the First Floor

The Visually Impaired Working Group and some members of the Autistic Working Group with dyspraxia, recommended that step edging needed to be installed on these stairs. This would provide colour contrast enabling persons with visually impairment to identify each step more easily while also providing grip, minimising accidents.

A person is crouched down at the bottom of the marble stair case. They are holding an ID cane in one hand. With the fingers on their other hand, they are touching a plan black coloured step edging sample which sits on the edge of a step. Beside this, there is another sample which is gold with a thick black strip. — Inspecting step edging samples

The different step edging samples are placed side by side on one step of the white marble staircase. One is plain black, one is plan gold and the last is a combination of gold but the tread for grip is black. — Inspecting step edging samples

Challenges associated with this physical change

Facilitating this physical change to the building has not been without challenges. We found that step edging products are widely available in Ireland for industrial and commercial settings, but not for historic buildings, like the Hunt Museum. We managed to locate just one supplier who could provide a suitable product, but quickly learned that additional funding would be needed to purchase and install it. Recognising the urgent need to make our stairs more accessible and safe, an interim solution will soon be put in place. This will afford the Museum time to pursue different funding opportunities, so that we can then complete the project to the standard that we require.