Briefing for Disability Resource Centre Visit
Introduction
Birmingham Museums Trust is beginning work on a major redevelopment project for Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. To help understand the needs of visitors, a program of research has been commissioned. One aspect of this is to understand people’s perceptions of the building, how they plan a visit and travel, their arrival experience and how they navigate around the building. We are keen to include the views of people with a range of physical and sensory disabilities and so we are inviting you to make a visit to the museum on Friday 23rd May and to take part in a short discussion session. This research is specifically concerned with arrival and navigation and in particular the information required to help those aspects of a visit. Participants will receive free entrance to the recently-opened Roland Emmet exhibition (entrance fee £5.00) and a complimentary afternoon tea. We are also happy to contribute travel costs.
Arrangements on the Day
The programme for the visit is as follows:
§ Arrive at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) by 13.30
§ Make an independent visit
§ Make your way to the Gas Hall for the Roland Emmet Exhibition at 3pm (NB: go to the Gas Hall reception desk, explain that you are part of the DRC visit and give tour name to obtain free entry to the exhibition)
§ Gather in the Audio-visual room at the back of the Gas Hall at 3.30 for:
o Afternoon tea
o A presentation by Pete Millington (Disability Resource Centre)
o A discussion on your visit
If you are participating, we would ask you to:
§ Provide your name in advance so that we can arrange for free entrance to the museum and make sure we have sufficient tea and cakes! Please contact Pete Millington via email pmillington@disability.co.uk or telephone 0121 248 4530
§ Arrive at the BMAG by 13.30 (you will not be met formally on arrival, though it s possible that a researcher might approach you and ask if is OK to track your path around the museum)
§ Make your way to the Roland Emmet exhibition by 15.00
§ Join us in the Gas Hall Audio Visual Room at 15.30
§ Please try to remember the following for our discussion
o How you planned your visit
o Any problems you had getting to BMAG
o How you gained access to the building
o How you orientated yourself and found your way around
Questions
If you have any questions about this research or the visit, please contact Steve Green at Bowles Green Limited as follows:
Tel: 01439 788980, Mob: 07919 373294 E-mail: steve@bowlesgreen.co.uk
If you have specific dietary or communications requirements, please make this known when you register your participation.
You can find out more about Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Roland Emmet Exhibition at:
