Discover How Rutherford B. Hayes Museum Is Leading Accessibility For Autism Visitors

There is the Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont, Ohio, which is celebrating gaining a new milestone in accessibility for all visitors. The library and its museums have been awarded the Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation by The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This certification continues the dedication of the library and museums in broadening their scope of accessibility, particularly to those on the autism spectrum and who have sensory sensitivities.

Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Library & Museums had to complete an on-site review by IBCCES as part of the certification. During this review, the IBCCES created sensory guides and made suggestions to improve accessibility to all visitors. This designation is part of the institution’s continuous work in making its historical and cultural collections more accessible to the public, which includes people with sensory and cognitive differences.

Stating The Focus On Inclusivity

Christie Weininger, Executive Director of Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums, described the institution’s focus on supporting visitors with autism and sensory needs. She stated that the museum must offer an environment that enables visitors to experience the museum in a truly enriching and educational way, no matter their sensory challenges. The institution’s leadership believes that this certification is a significant milestone in supporting visitors with sensory challenges to interact with the museum’s displays and historical materials in a suitable and accommodating environment.

Myron Pincomb, Chairman of the Board of IBCCES, also expressed appreciation for the institution’s focus on having a positive experience. He pointed out that the Certified Autism Center designation is a testament to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums’ commitment to diversity and inclusion for all of its guests.

Improving Access and Visitor Experience

The processes for certification included more than just writing the sensory guide and conducting a review. It also puts an emphasis on the staff members undergoing tailored autism training so that they can assist visitors on the autism spectrum and those with sensory issues. As part of their accessibility initiatives, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums offers a written tour of the Hayes Home to visitors who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing to ensure that no one misses the museum’s full range of offerings.

The museum also now appears on the IBCCES Accessibility App, an assistive technology created to help people with disabilities locate certified sensory-friendly venues and spaces. The app provides geo-location services and is designed to help visitors organize their trips to enhance the ease and satisfaction of their journeys. This app can be downloaded for free and is one of the primary initiatives aimed at enhancing access to certified sites across the state of Ohio and the rest of the nation.

Long Term Accessibility Goals

Achieving the Certified Autism Center does not completely take away the museum’s promise of maintaining an accessible environment. Sensory and cognitive disabilities and their range are issues that the museum has tried to accommodate. This set of certifications speaks to the level to which those disabilities and their range are accommodated.

Shortly after adapting the training for this certification, the museum plastered the concept of everlasting change and impact. The museum has been and is still perfectly set to understand sensory visitors because this training is structural. The sensory tours and the sensory-friendly spaces that have been added, along with some other features, make accessibility to the museum’s historic collections and exhibits the most inclusive that they have ever been.

The Importance of The Sponsors

The sponsors include Charles & Jane Moyer, The Andersons, John M. & Sue Hayes, Kiwanis Club of Fremont, Brian Koenig, and Walmart – Fremont #1429. The autism certification process was sponsored, which shows that these local and national supporters believe in the museum’s efforts in inclusivity.

Their support demonstrates a growing trend among organizations to increase access to cultural and historical sites and ensure their rich heritage is available to a diversity of people and abilities.

Wider Reach of Accessibility in the Museum and Cultural Sector

Wider Access in the museum and cultural sectors is demonstrated by the achievement of Akshar, the founder of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums, in earning the Certified Autism Center credential. All over the country, institutions are starting to understand the importance of serving people with a variety of disabilities, especially those with autism and other sensory sensitivities. IBCCES is a leader in this area of advocacy, offering training and certification to establish a minimum level of accessibility in museums, zoos, aquariums, and other cultural and public places.

This advocacy is not only valuable to the people experiencing the change, but it also serves the entire community by promoting awareness and understanding. Through these changes, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is at the forefront of the movement for improving access to cultural sites for everyone.

Conclusion: Future Accessibility and Education for Everyone

For many cultural institutions, the Adding Sensor table and the sensory rooms of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums serve as important landmarks in the construction of their balanced and advanced Accessibility and Inclusion policies. Having received the Certified Autism Center credential is one of the key highlights in the ongoing efforts of the Museum and Library to achieve their primary goal, which is to offer their educational and cultural resources as widely as possible. Working with IBCCES has proven positive for the Museum, and its record of inclusiveness should motivate many other similar institutions to work for greater inclusiveness. No doubt, the Museum’s future work will continue the policy of making its history easy to reach and understand for all, irrespective of their sensory and cognitive abilities.

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