Dear All

In August I asked if anyone had any examples of historic sites that have used technology to enhance access.  Thank you to everyone who kindly responded, I hope that I replied to you all to thank you personally - if not, please do accept my apologies!

I had some really interesting replies and suggestions, ranging from digital tools to low tech methods.  I have compiled them below.  If anyone does have any further ideas or examples I would be delighted to hear from you.

Best wishes

Liz


Cusworth Hall
At Cusworth Hall we recently put on an event that included access to a recreated servant's bedroom that was only accessible by steps. As a way of including visitors with mobility problems, we created a short video of the room using our camera. We simply recorded the walk up the stairs and a filmed a slow pan around the bedroom, and put this film (about 2 mins) onto a disk, which we played for people on a laptop. It was a very basic procedure, but it at least ensured that those unable to climb the stairs were able to see inside the room.
Nicola Fox, Assistant Museums Officer (Human History)
Cusworth Hall Museum, Cusworth, Doncaster, DN5 7TU
(01302) 782342   [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>


Heage Windmill
http://www.heagewindmill.org.uk/
There is link at the bottom of the webpage to a virtual tour.  Click on the blue spots on the plan to see parts of the sites http://heagewindmill.org.uk/vrtour/


Knaresborough Castle
We have a virtual tour of what the castle might have looked like in the accessible part of the museum.  It was made as part of the project with King James School a number of years ago. Further details about the castle:
https://www.harrogate.gov.uk/info/20153/knaresborough_castle_and_museum



Wordsworth Trust - Claire Amundson
I worked at the Wordsworth Trust for a while and due to the nature of the 400year old cottage, there is no access for wheelchair users to the upstairs floor. Whilst there I came up with a few ideas that could make the first floor collections more accessible to these visitors. The original idea was to film one of the upstairs rooms, along with close ups of key items in the collection, and put it onto a tablet. Visitors could then choose whether to have an optional voice over from one of our tour guides. The idea being that if one of the tour guides was available they could talk about upstairs using the film footage to support them. I was looking at asking a media volunteer, or a member of staff, to do the film/sound for us. Unfortunately, though, we did not have a tablet to do this so we settled for an alternative, low-tech solution. This was a simply laid out paper guide for visitors in the cottage itself with photos of key objects in the collection and some text to accompany them. The text was based on our cottage tours and the guide brochure available from our shop. I printed the guides on A3 to make it larger and easier to read. In hindsight, it might have been worth printing one or two copies onto A3 yellow paper to make it easier to read for those with dyslexia, or who are partially sighted. The aim of the paper guide was to have something available for visitors to look at whilst tours were in progress, or give visual support to tour guides when talking to visitors.   I hope this helps in some way, and I'm happy to share the paper guide I created - Claire Amundson


Lotherton Hall
We have a similar issue in our historic house, although we have a passenger lift, part of the first floor is inaccessible to some with mobility needs. Adam Toole worked with Flapjack Films to produce a walking tour film of that part of the house. This is available on an iPad at reception and can also be played in our ground floor cinema for groups. As much as this was a digital project for improving access, the film is a good piece of additional interpretation for all visitors. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Gna3Komfc

Dionne Matthews Spence, Learning and Access Officer, Lotherton Hall, LS25 3EB
0113 378 2969 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries<http://www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries>


Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust
The key aim of the Access all Areas project has been to investigate the particular issues posed by industrial museums and heritage sites for visitors with disabilities, to identify solutions where possible and to share our findings widely across the museums sector. We hope this will encourage other industrial museums and heritage sites in the UK and beyond to find new ways of addressing access issues with their visitors. To ensure that the project process itself is inclusive and accessible we have consulted experts in the field and recruited an Inclusive Access Forum.  In addition to making immediate improvements at Kelham Island Museum and Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, we are hoping that there will be a positive long term impact on the organisation. The museums will become more accessible for a wider range of visitors, the workforce will be better prepared to meet the needs of visitors with disabilities and all staff and volunteers will feel they can play an active role in inclusive access.
http://www.simt.co.uk/about/projects/access-all-areas
Access Consultant: www.philchambersconsultancy.co.uk<http://www.philchambersconsultancy.co.uk>


Suggestion from Mark Macleod, Head of the Infirmary Museum, Worcester
I know you are looking for lo-tech solutions, however if you have a Wi-Fi option, how about providing support for visitors to be linked together on FacebookLIve or Periscope or Live.ly so that the friend/family member of the person not able to be on the first floor acts as a companion by touring the floor with the device and speaking with their friend at the same time. It's an extension to what they will have done on the ground floor and guarantees a more personalised experience as they will know what would be of interest and seek that out. It does depend on good Wi-Fi, however the availability and awareness of FacebookLive and other apps of live video will be familiar to more visitors and reduce the need to have any costly video production. If the venue provides the signage and hardware so it's a big screen and comfy headphones, the other walking visitor can use their own device with a little training from venue (good for staff interacting with visitor) or if confident they go for it themselves on their own device or one provided by the venue.  Just an idea and I appreciate it may be a little intimidating to anyone not done live stream before, but its sustainable, lower cost in long run as people will bring their own devices and having a Wi-Fi link is likely to be ubiquitous within 10 years, even in older buildings.
https://www.periscope.tv/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/live.ly-live-video-streaming/id1085024470?mt=8


Tina Buckingham - Roundlearning
I spotted your message on the GEM forum and hoped you wouldn't mind if I took the opportunity to get in touch. We are a creative design agency based in Cheshire and specialise in digital resources, video and 360 virtual tours for educational and cultural sites. Some links to our work can be seen below:

www.roundlearning.co.uk<http://www.roundlearning.co.uk>
www.roundthreesixty.co.uk<https://www.roundthreesixty.co.uk>

I am positive that we could create a beautiful interactive which would enhance the visitor experience of your site. As a guide, the development of 360 tours, which can be used with virtual reality goggles or on a large touch screen, start from £150 per zone depending on size of your tour. If this could be something you would like to discuss further I would love the opportunity to meet you or chat in more detail.
Tina Buckingham | Director | 01270 899 145 | 07793 489 823 | www.roundlearning.co.uk<http://www.roundlearning.co.uk> | Round Learning, 100c Crewe Road, Alsager, Cheshire, ST7 2JA





Best wishes

Liz



Liz Denton
Museum Development Officer - East Yorkshire & Northern Lincolnshire (Monday - Thursday)
Museum Development: Yorkshire

York Museums Trust
St. Mary's Lodge
Marygate
York
YO30 7DR

07785458220
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk<http://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/>


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