Museum Volunteer and Docent Handbook

Purpose of this Handbook

The goal of this handbook is to make patrons with disabilities, and you, comfortable in creating a warm, welcoming, friendly experience.

The handbook includes:

Disability terminology and the issues involved in responding to various needs of museum patrons.
Practical guidelines for making various aspects of the museum experience, including tours and exhibits, accessible and user friendly for all patrons with and without disabilities.

“Museum Accessibility has grown far beyond simply building a ramp to the door. Attracting new and diverse audiences requires museums to not only rethink the use of architectural spaces, but more importantly how to be programmatically accessible,” says Hope McMath, Director of Education, Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.

Table of Contents

Chapter Subjects - Click on Titles Below

Principles for Communicating with Persons with Disabilities

People First Language

Key to Quality Customer Service

Assisting People Who Use Wheelchairs

Assisting People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

Assisting People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Assisting People Who Have Speech Difficulties

Assisting People Who Have Cognitive Disabilities

Assisting People Who Have Mental Illness

Assisting Older Patrons

Emergency Procedures

Resources

Credits

The information in the handbook was gathered from a variety of resources available to assist individuals as they work to provide accessible programs and services.

Special thanks to VSA arts of Texas for sharing their handbook and allowing us to use the contents.

VSA arts of Florida is funded in party by: VSA arts, Florida Department of Education, Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the University of South Florida.