The multisensory toolkit supports museums in co-creating interpretation and experiences with disabled, neurodiverse, d/Deaf, and non-disabled people. Designed as a flexible, process-based resource, the toolkit guides users through the co-creation of multisensory interpretation, whether for a small temporary display, a new permanent gallery, or a full museum redevelopment. It emphasises the importance of embedding co-creation from the earliest stages of any project.
- Learn more and access the toolkit
In addition to the toolkit, the project has also produced a Collections Demonstrator. This digital tool allows users to simulate inputting multisensory information, including collection data, access media, spatial considerations, and personal access requirements, into a collections management system.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council with a £1 million grant, the UK based project Sensational Museum set out to rethink the role of the senses in museums. Led by Professor Hannah Thompson of Royal Holloway, University of London, the initiative aimed to transform how museums work for everyone by applying knowledge from disability studies to mainstream practice. Speaking at a recent showcase in London marking the close of the project, Professor Thompson said: ‘Throughout this project we've been asking how the heritage sector can create welcoming, inclusive, engaging content and spaces that are accessible to non-disabled and disabled visitors – that is, in fact, all visitors.’
