NORWICH — As the parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder, Alicia Przydzielski understands how difficult it can be to find activities and spaces that are sensory-friendly.
That’s why she’s encouraged by the Montshire Museum of Science’s decision to offer two sensory-friendly sessions for families who have children with autism spectrum disorder.
“For both the child in general and the care provider, it’s just a more accepting environment that everyone there has a disability and they’re much more understanding and flexible,” Przydzielski, of Hanover, said. “It’s just nice to be acknowledged, for the community to be given the courtesy of the museum time.”
The first will take place from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, and the next from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, April 2. At that time, only 70 guests will be allowed in the museum, exhibit sounds will be turned down, a quiet space with sensory materials will be set up and extensive pre-visit material, including a detailed narrative that brings visitors through every part of the museum and a sensory map, will be available ahead of time. Visitors will also receive $3 off admission costs and are welcome to stay once the sensory-friendly hours are over. Reservations are required at montshire.org.
“We wanted to offer the opportunity for people to experience the museum in a quieter way for some people who might have sensory processing differences,” said Trish Palao, marketing and communications manager at the Montshire.
Jessica Poludin, director of the Hartford Autism Regional Program, who helped educate and gave advice to Montshire staff members, said that individuals with autism or sensory processing disorders can experience an increased sensitivity to light, sound and touch. For example, someone with one of the disorders might hear the hum of an electric exhibit while people without the disorder wouldn’t notice it.
“They might hear that sound because they have a heightened hearing sense so they might feel that it is too loud. It might actually hurt their ears,” Poludin said, adding that noise-canceling headphones would help. “It just will help to dull some of that sound so they don’t get overstimulated by the amount of noise.”
In the last few months, the Montshire has also started offering sensory kits to visitors which include noise-canceling headphones, a weighted lap pad, manipulative fidgets, stuffed animals, timers and therapy balls.
The offering of sensory-friendly hours is part of a larger museum plan to become a more inclusive community space, said Jennifer Rickards, deputy director at the Montshire. An earlier piece of the process included offering discounted tickets to lower-income visitors.
“There’s lots of things to address and supporting people with special needs is one of them,” Rickards said. “I think the main thing is we’re limiting the number of visitors here at the museum, which I think is often the part that can be overwhelming to some.”
The museum regularly sees 1,500 visitors per day and there are likely around 500 people in the museum at any given time.
“We really see these two events as a trial,” Rickards said. “I’m hoping this is something we can institutionalize.”
The museum relied on community members including Przydzielski and Poludin to provide feedback on what changes they could make for visitors with autism spectrum disorder. While Przydzielski’s son is used to noise from his siblings and his light sensitivities bother him the most at night, she noted that people who have sensory differences may find the museum on its busiest days overwhelming.
“I feel as some kids with autism, a lot of kids can’t get used to that and it’s a nice time for them to get out of the woodwork,” she said.
Poludin, who is also a member of Sensory UV, an Upper Valley group that helps organizations provide sensory-friendly experiences to community members including movie screenings, suggested expanding the information on the museum’s website for potential visitors and increasing signage inside the museum to guide visitors to quiet spaces.
“The important thing I discussed with them is we never really want to alter the fidelity of the exhibits themselves,” she said. “I think it’s so important for families to feel comfortable to know that this establishment, this performance, this museum welcomes and appreciates individuals with sensory differences and has made support available to them so that they can experience the same recreation and leisure activities that neurotypical individuals can.”
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
