SEND
The Learning Team are working hard to develop a series of resources for use by visitors with SEND. This page will share what is available so please keep coming back as we will add more resources over time.
Prepare for Your Visit
We have created a Visual Story to help you prepare for your visit to the museum. If you are a regular visitor you will notice the safety changes we have put in place due to Covid-19. This guide will walk you through a visit, showing you the route through the galleries, the signage and other changes made.
We have created a PECS® style set of pictures/symbols to help you plan the sequence of your visit to the museum. The symbols match those on our museum map. Print, laminate and cut out to add to personal boards before visiting the museum. Some of the key signage is also included.
There is also a schools version of this planning board available on request. This includes images representing the workshops schools may be attending.
Below is a trail that follows a one way route highlighting a key object in each gallery. This can be downloaded to phones/tablets and brought with you to the museum.
Fidget Backpacks
We are pleased to announce that the Fidget backpacks are available to borrow during visits.
Spike’s Fidget Back Packs are available to help make your visit more enjoyable and help you keep calm as you explore.
Included in each back pack are;
- ear defenders
- fiddle toys x4
- magnifying glass
- sand timers
- a puppet to show around
- a ‘Today I will visit’ PECS style visit planning board
- a map of the museum with quiet zones marked
- a photo list of contents
These are free to borrow by signing them out at the main reception desk and leaving some form of ID as security. (passport/driving licence/credit card) This stored securely and returned when backpack is returned.
The visit planning board is designed to help families plan their visit around the museum and is in a similar style to the PECS communication boards used in schools and at home. They use the same symbols we have on our floor plan map.
If you are interested in having your own set of these to add to your own board, please see the downloadable document called Visit Sequence Cards above.
For more information regarding SEND in museums (around the country) go to www.sendinmuseums.org