Welcome to the frequently asked questions for Museum Spaces. Please read carefully.
Who are you?
I am a museologist (museum specialist). I trained in Leicester England and live in Canada (at the time of writing this) I have worked in the Royal Ontario Museum, the Oakville Museum, the Egypt Centre, and the Art Gallery of Northumberland.
In those museums I worked in Curatorial, Conservation (research), Education and Access, and collections management.
I am autistic and while I am trying hard to focus on all aspects of access my disorder will bias my reviews.
What is Museum Spaces?
Museum Spaces is a review blog. I visit museums and write about the experience. I focus on access; for example the Hockey Hall of Fame has a LOT of stairs and the Eden Project has a lot of walking and slops which effect the access for people with mobility aids. But the Hockey Hall has elevators and the Eden Project has lots of spots to rest surrounded by beautiful greenery.
I am interested in all areas of access but, as I am able-bodied, there is a good chance I will miss things. If I missed anything you know about please let me know.
Can I ask you something?
Most definitely. I love getting mail. If you want to you can contact me via the contact page here. Or you can contact me through my twitter or tumblr accounts.
If you want me to post something specific think about pledging to me on Patreon!
What is a museum?
This is a very good question. When you ask the average person on the street what a museum is, chances are they will point to the biggest history museum around – such as the British Museum – or perhaps an art gallery like the MET. The average person on the street is not wrong but they are missing quiet a bit!
A museum is ANY institution that holds a collection for public consumption. This includes:
- Science Centres
- Art Galleries
- Themed Collections (such as the Country Music Hall of Fame)
- Public Gardens
- Zoos
- Aquariums
- History Museums
- Living History Sites
It does not include private or for-sale collections such as:
- Antique shops
- thrift stores
- tourable factories
- public parks that do not have a collection
It also does not encompass all historical collections nor all public collections. Archives and Libraries are not museums, not even rare book libraries.
Museums are not neutral: they exist in our world, reflecting it, and also influencing it. Because of this museums should actively seek to reflect the world as it should be. This is often through decolonization but also through access.
Will you review Museum X
I would love nothing more than to review Museum X. It is a question of Access. Like everything on this site! If I have the ability to get to museum X I will go and there will be a review of it. At the moment, I don’t drive and I don’t have a surplus of cash. This means that my reviews will be fewer. If you would like to sponsor me to go to Museum X contact me about it.
I am from Museum X and you missed Y resource!
Maybe. I am just one person so it is very possible that I missed something. But you must also consider just how accessible Y really is. For example: The Art Gallery of Northumberland is in my home town’s town hall. This, as a government building, has no right to be inaccessible. It took me more than 25 years and asking in the municipal offices to find out where the accessible toilets are. If a disabled person cannot access the resource without additional help, is it accessible?
If I did miss Y I offer my deepest apologies. My goal is never to shame a museum. Please contact me and I will see what I can do about setting things right.
I am from Museum X and we don’t have resource Y, can you help?
I sure hope so! There are notes at the end of each review but if the answer you are looking for is not there contact me. I may be in the process of developing the relevant resources.
My museum needs resource Y but we have no funding. Can you help?
I can try! I have worked for and with museums with very little funding. Contact me and we will see about a discount or payment plan or an in-kind payment (such as free programming in Y).
The goal of Museum Spaces is not to make money but I do need to eat. Otherwise all of the resources would be free.
Don’t forget that if Y is access for a certain community (mobility aid users, autistic people, etc) then the best I can do is a guideline. You NEED to consult with the community itself. I might be able to point you in the right direction or point you away from the wrong direction but that’s it. Well I can also give you pointers for what resources might be helpful.
Why do you sometimes call it a Lift and sometimes an Elevator?
I lived in the UK for 12 months almost exactly. A number of my reviews are from British museums. This means that I will use Britishism and British money where I can so that British visitors have an easier time understanding.
I have lived the rest of my life in Canada. Most of my reviews will be for Canadian museums. I will use Canadianisms and Canadian money where I can so that Canadian visitors have an easier time understanding.
I will hold the same conventions for any country I visit. However if you are planning a trip and want things ‘converted’ into your dialect I can always explain thing farther with your prompting!
If the answers to your questions are not in the Frequently Asked Questions please contact me using this form here.
Glossary
If you don’t see the term you need defined, contact me!
This is not currently in Alphabetic order, press ctrl +F to find terms.
Museologist
A Museologist is someone who studies museums, works in museums, consults with museums, or otherwise interacts with museums on a professional basis.
Access/Accessibility
Access in regards to this blog is not about laws. Laws are the minimum needed for access. This is about tools, tricks, and resources made available to individuals who need them. This can be quiet times for visitors with SPD, in gallery seating, or anything really.
Living History
This is a type of museum common in North America and not too rare in England (probably elsewhere as well). They are characterized by location, normally on or near historic sites. Employees in public areas are often in period costume including, but not limited to dress, job title, and job description. I once saw a candle-stick maker at a living history museum.
These sites can struggle with access because modern ideas about accessibility are foreign to the historical time period.
Citizen Science
These are projects that are necessary but that museums (and other institutions) do not have the man power or funding for. These range from bird watchers uploading data they have anyway to help track species migration and decline to people transcribing handwritten object tags and uploading them to museum databases.
If you have the time and inclination I suggest looking up some citizen science projects in areas you are interested in!
Museum Nerd
The nerds are my tribe: a bunch of new museologists who are really overly into museums. We care about what we do and we want to improve museums as only Millennials, with out undying optimism can.
Neutral/Museum Neutrality
This is an idea that museums are uncorruptible, unbiased, centres of academic, cultural information.
Museums are not, and never have been neutral. It implies that they exist in a vacuum. That they are unaffected by the communities, governments, and funders that they exist inside.
This is why BP being a funder and contributor for a number of British institutions is problematic to say the least. BP is an oil and gas company and museums have to be actively working to stop climate change – we all have to be. There is a worry, rightly or wrongly, that BP funding affects the type of exhibition the museums will support.
#MuseumsAreNotNeutral
A social media thread that deals with the idea of museum neutrality. If you believe your museum is not neutral I encourage you to use and explore this tag.
Person First vs. Identity First Language
An example of Person First – Natalie has Autism/Natalie is a person with Autism
An example of Identity First – Natalie is Autistic/Natalie is an Autistic person.
I use myself as an example because I am the only person I can speak for. I prefer identity first because I see myself as indivisible from my autism. My autism dictates how I interact with the world around me. To remove my autism from me fundamentally changes who I am.
Similarly you wouldn’t say ‘a person with gayness/he has homosexuality’. Most of the disabled people I interact with feel the same way and so, unless I receive notice from disabled readers I will use identity first language on museum spaces.