The Access to heritage Project

museum of liverpool at the launch!!!!

2011-07-23T02:26:00.000-07:00

Photos of the Access to Heritage forum at the opening of the brand new "museum of liverpool" that opened on 21st July.

We have worked with museum staff and designers over the last three years on elements of access consultation including this tactile map.

The forum members were really pleased to be there and amazed to see the finished product!

Well done every one!

way finding and web pages forum workshop 20th May 2011

2011-05-23T06:13:00.001-07:00

We began the workshop outside the museum so that we could find out from the group what helps to find the way - we realised that from the outside there is nothing obvious to suggest what's in the building. Gerry suggested big symbols on the existing tall signs which currently just have colours and words.

Once inside we let Brian lead the way -

We asked him to take us to the Aquarium - it was nt easy for him to work out what floor he needed from the signs and going by lift we ended up on the 3rd floor instead of the 1st.

Eventually he related the sign to the lift panel and we got to the aquarium -

He found the toilets easily because there were symbols to follow and then took us up to our workshop easily as he had worked out how the signage worked.

In the lift we thought that it would help to have symbols for each floor right next to or on the buttons. And if the voice over in the lift could tell you what was on the floor you were on - (aquarium or dinosaurs etc) it would be easier for everyone.

In the workshop we tried out some websites including the museum's own to test their accessibility.

We found that films and talking websites were best for accessibility.

So for our own content about Access we agreed to go for a photo-story - just a slide show of key images of our forum being involved in the consultation -

The Hand Symbol that is going to appear as a label where ever there is something multi sensory in the museum.

And our logos.

In this session we needed to consolidate the work we have done over the last 3 years!

Looking back through this blog you can see our involvement with the new museum of Liverpool since 2008.

The first phase of museum of Liverpool is due to open in July this year so work is underway on making the website information and print etc to do with accessing the museum.

We also need to celebrate the Access to Heritage project's involvement on the website and at the same time show other people how they can get the most out of the museums tour tour and tactile exhibits which we have worked with designers on.

Museum consultation Ben Johnson painting of liverpool

2011-05-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

We have been working on a multi sensory resource to go with the Ben Johnson painting of Liverpool that will be displayed in the museum of Liverpool.

We brought a big copy of the painting to the workshop and a selection of objects that could help to bring it alive for people.

We also had a sound scape of different sounds of places in Liverpool.

There were two "stories" one is the artist himself Ben Johnson and the other is the painting and what's in it. For the artist we had masking tape, the smell of spray paint, a brush, a spray can that makes a noise when you shake it. Some stencils.

For the painting we had some wooden shapes to represent some of the landmark buildings and some different building materials to feel the textures of the buildings.

We also had boats and cars although non of these appear in the painting.

A talking photo album could be used to show some photos of Ben Johnson doing the painting.

Another one could be used to have photos of different landmarks in Liverpool with voice overs to read out the names of the places.

The soundscape was really effective at bringing the painting to life and to get people talking and guessing where the sounds were from.

The objects were also effective at getting people to talk to each other about Liverpool. And the different places that they are familiar with.

Bringing museum exhibits to life with Tactile Talking Points!

2011-01-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

On Friday 21st of Jan we met in World Museum

We want to look at creating multi sensory resources for any one to use to enhance a visit to the museum of liverpool when it opens.
We will be looking at developing mobile resources for several different exhibits over the next few months but to get used to the idea this months workshop took place in the aquarium!

We visited the aquarium together first then spent some time exploring a mixture of things including shells and stones, things that looked like coral and sea anenome.
Water spray, wet sponge, wet sand, bubbles and the sound of the sea.

Then in small groups we gathered some of these things and put them in bags and returned to the aquarium with them to see what happened......

Photos by me and members of the Access to heritage forum.

Things that we liked

Spraying water on things like a pebble and the rubbery sea anenome things and feeling the wet texture.
Blowing bubbles.
We did nt take the sea music down with us but we thought that having an MP3 player with that or bubbly music would have made it feel more like being immersed in the experience.
Coral and sea anenome textures that you can put on your hands or drape on shoulders or laps would have been good.
We did nt have many fish but we thought some plastic fish would have been good.
Wet natural sponge and sand were also popular.
We thought that the best kind of bag would be a shoulder bag with 2 handles so that it could also hang on a wheel chair - we used shopping bags with long handles for this.

More pictures of the models

2010-10-27T04:32:00.000-07:00

The model makers have sent us some pictures to show us how they are doing.

The Albert Dock Model is nearly finished.

The Pier Head Model is still being made. The Port of Lvierpool Building still needs to be finished and the whole model needs to be painted.

National Museums Liverpool staff see prototype tactile model!

2010-09-27T04:16:00.000-07:00

meeting the designers at NML friday 16th July 2010

2010-07-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

more feed back for the tactile map from Billy and Mark from the Royal school for the Blind in Wavertree

2010-07-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

Mark 18yrs is totally blind has lerning difficulties and in a w/c with cerebral palsey with a dominant right hand felt the map and described ;
The buildings as lego and suggested if they where to be bulidings he would make it from sandstone and the roof as slate.
He thought the trees felt like sand stone and thought leaves would be better to create trees.
He had no idea what the water was and thought it felt like a table! He suggested using sounds of water and proper water as nothing could represent water.
Mark did enjoy being able to access the map on his knee as his wheelchair is large and difficult to get close to objects in museums!!

Billy is 19 yrs blind has learning difficulties and a w/c user with cererbal palsey he has a dominant left hand.
He explored the map by tracking from side to side feeling every detail . Billy reads Moon and is trained to track this way.
He discribed the trees as rocks and suggested using pine cones.
He thought the water was a window and suggested silky fabric.
He discribed the buildings as toys and suggested the use of bricks.

sneak preview of inside the new museum of liverpool

2010-07-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Consultation on tactile map

2010-06-24T02:17:00.000-07:00

The Access to Heritage Forum have been working with Lizzy Helen and Julia fro the Museum of Liverpool to design a model of the Albert Dock and Pier Head for the new Museum of Liverpool.

You will be able to touch and feel the model and the model will make sounds when you touch it.

At the last session we all looked at and touched three sample models. We put stickers on the models to show what we liked and didn’t like. Everyone in the group had a chance to say what they thought was good and bad about the model and what they would like to include.

Model 1

Model One was the model with the lightest acrylic ‘river’, a brown coloured building (without detail drawn on) and the lightest coloured trees. The ground was a cream colour.

The River on Number one got 5 ‘l like this’ stickers

Comments:
On the river: ‘This is a much better colour it’s blue -brighter’
On the river: ‘I still want boats and waves on it’
On the river: Suzanne: ’I like the blue water on number one’

On the buildings: Joanne: ‘It’s not right: looks smaller – no windows’
On the buildings: Tom: ‘No doors on this one’

On the trees: ‘I like the trees’
On the trees: ‘Suzanne likes the trees outside.’

‘Libby likes Number one the best’
Suzanne: ‘I just like Number 1’
‘Want noises!’
Joanne: It’s impressive to see a model
‘Vicky and Libby like the look for the model’
Jenny: ‘I like to be beside the Albert Dock’
‘Can parts of the model be removable like a jigsaw?’
‘It would be good to have a piece of the model to take out or close to touch for people who can’t reach’
Joanne: ‘Not bad: You can see where walk around on the model roads’

Model 2

Model two was the model with a darker coloured river with a glassy texture, a darker brown building with brown flecks, and the doors and windows picked out in black. The ground was a light grey.

The River on number 2 got 2 ‘likes’, the building one like and the ground two likes.

Comments:

On the river: ‘Paul likes the colour of the sea. Looks and feels nice and soft.’
On the river: Tom: ‘The sea looks better’
On the river: ‘ I’d like to see boats on sea or waves can feel them’
On the river: ‘Don’t like the sea’ Joanne

On the buildings: ‘The building looks thicker and bigger: that’s better’ Tom and Joanne
On the buildings: ‘I don’t like the roof’
On the buildings: I like the windows’ – Vicky
On the buildings: ‘The windows are not right’ : Joanne
On the buildings: ‘Paul likes the roof, because it is square on top’
On the buildings: Paul ‘This one looks wider and bigger’

‘Good model’ Tom

Comments on Model 3:

This model had a darker, more textured river, a brown building with a grey roof and the windows picked out in black, and a grey flecked floor.

Comments:

On the river: Vicki / Libby : ‘Would like waves on the water’
On the river: ‘The water is dirty in Albert Dock’
On the river: Paul: ‘Water needs to have boats and people’
On the river: Paul: ‘ The sea on number three is too dark’
On the river: Joanne ‘The sea is too dark I don’t like it’
On the river Vicky: ‘I like the colour’

On the trees: ‘Trees feel like spiky cactus’ (Linda)
On the trees: ‘We like the trees’ Tom and Joanne
On the trees: ‘I like the touch of the trees’

On the buildings: ‘Not so keen on this one windows !?’

‘I like 3 overall ‘Tom
‘I like 3 overall’ Joanne

‘Needs room for wheelchair users to get close up’: Joanne
‘Needs removeable parts so accessible for people in wheelchairs’
‘Model needs to be much bigger’ Tom
‘Needs separate pieces of materials for people to feel, touch who maybe can’t reach over and touch.’

Overall number 3 got sea: 5 likes and two dislikes, building got one like, pavement got two likes.

Overall the conclusion seemed to be that:

We liked the light, vibrant blue colour for the river / sea
We want to be able to see and feel waves on the river and there should be boats.
We liked the buildings with the black windows and doors that you could see
We liked the trees but some people thought they felt a little bit too spiky
We need to make sure the model is at the correct height and there are pieces that can be handled separately.
People didn’t realise that they could touch the model until we told them, so we need to make this clear by using our ‘you can touch this’ symbol

Comments from Project Coordinator Ticky Lowe

I also noticed that no one was actually touching the model at all until we told them that they could and still most people were a bit unsure about the purpose of touching it.
I think that there needs to be the "you can touch this symbol" but additionally I think that a tactile model needs to entice touch by looking so tactile you have to touch it.
May be budget does nt allow but especially the water could do with some texture - perhaps a boat or two?
I was hoping that the scale would be quite a bit bigger so that there could be more detail on the buildings.
I think the colours could be more contrasted and vibrant.
And a mixture of materials used would give it more tactile appeal.
And not everyone will be able to access the model from its table even if it is wheel chair height so it is really important that at least some parts of it can be removed to be handled in order to include everyone.
We have sent the model to The Royal School for the blind for their opinions so will add those when they have had a look.

April 2010 Accessible info for museum of Liverpool

2010-04-29T05:29:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months we have been visiting some other heritage venues to see what we expect out of a visit as a group of people with learning disabilities.

The plan is to use other venues as examples and then let the staff in the new museum of liverpool know what it is that we expect by creating a guide for staff.

If that makes sense - it confused me for a long time.

In this session in April we started to put our ideas together for a visitor guide to the objects which you can touch in the new museum.

Helen also showed us some fantastic photos from inside the new museum gave us an up date on the museums progress. We are hoping to arrange another look inside in the next few weeks.

We also tried out our new talking photo albums which we are going to use as a way of documenting our visits.

Other venues we have visited are - World cultures in the world museum in February and the Victoria Museum and Gallery in March - next up -Croxteth Hall - tomorrow!

We don t have any photos yet but we hope to soon.

November Trying out symbols in the world museum

2009-11-25T03:36:00.000-08:00

This workshop was a chance to try out some touch symbols in a real museum setting

And we found it really useful.

Some of the forum helped to set up the symbols in the Natural History Handling Section - whilst the rest of the group looked at another part of the museum.

When we were ready the group came in and we observed them finding and understanding the symbols.

Key points - We used the natural history handing section where there are also lots of symbols that have a hand in a circle and a cross through it for do not touch - people found this confusing -
We think it would be good to try out in another part of the museum where there are fewer things to touch.
We tried using a purple flat hand that was large but not on a texture and with out a contrasting background and although there was an introduction poster with text - it had no text with each hand.
One hand was placed in a tray with objects you could touch - so the group assumed you can only touch the objects within the tray.

The yellow hand although smaller was on a contrasting card background and was up right with text - it was definitely easier to find - but still the group needed to be constantly reminded that the symbol meant that they could touch.

Even after seeing the introduction poster for it.

I think that the museum s orientation area needs to have simple information available about finding the touch symbol - some where they can SIT DOWN perhaps a version of it which you can handle - put in your lap and to put your own hand on top of to familiarise your self with the symbol with help of family or support staff before you go and look for it.
For people with learning disabilities the message will need to be reinforced regularly - it will help to have real people around to remind them that they can touch particular things.
If there was an option of taking a mobile version of the symbol around with them that could work - we could try this out!

November trying out our touch symbol in World museum Liverpool

2009-11-25T03:08:00.000-08:00

October Touch symbol workshop in St George's Hall

2009-11-25T02:38:00.000-08:00

In this workshop session we tried out our own symbols to encourage people to touch hands on exhibits as possibilities for the new museum.

Some key points were:

The symbol needs to be tactile
In an accessible position so that people can touch it
Preferably as big as a real hand
It needs to be bright and bold and on a contrasting background
Using the same colour combination through out the museum
It needs simple text with it
And needs to be introduced at the beginning of the museum

September at World museum The Beat Goes On

2009-11-25T02:27:00.000-08:00

Working with NML on the new museum july 10th 09

2009-09-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

In this session we looked at the designers models for a tactile map of the view out the window - Mersey Views for museum of Liverpool " Creative City Gallery"

We also looked at projections of some objects and people to find out what words people use for them which are exclusive to Liverpool!

Symbols or Objects? 12 June World Museum Liverpool

2009-06-26T03:34:00.000-07:00

This workshop was designed by Lizzie to find out whether using actual objects was more effective than using photos or symbols.

We split into four groups and each had a map of the Northwest and some symbols which showed where things like coal, soap, cotton and watches were made or where they came from and the journey these things went on by canal or by boat - to show that ALL went via Liverpool and that Liverpool had been a very important port.

Each group had to use symbols, photos, arrows and real objects on top of the map to try and make the message clear.

Then we swapped around and tried out each others maps.

A few useful things came out of this workshop;

A lot of people did n't know what a map was.

Real Objects and Arrows were understood by everyone.

If we tried to explain where all of the objects came from and went too the map became far too complicated.

The message needed to be simple so that ONE key fact was passed on.

For example soap was made near liverpool and went by ship to other countries.

Land marks like Liverpool, Cheshire, Lancashire etc were not marked by an object but it was suggested that an object could be used for example a food connected to that area.

Tactile map workshop in st Georges Hall 15th May 2009

2009-05-18T02:45:00.000-07:00

The aim of this workshop was to find what the group need from a tactile map

We spit into three groups and each went on a different route to find a liverbird in St Georges Hall.

Each group then made a tactile map using various materials

Straws/ cardboard and foam/ coloured paper.

Then we swapped maps and tried to use them to find the liverbirds.

We learnt that:

A lot of people don t expect to be able to touch anything and so they were just looking at the tactile map instead.
We need to have a way of letting people know that they can touch - a symbol
we need to have some text on the map - single words - so that supporters can help to explain the map.
Also "moon"symbols were suggested
Arrow are also easy to understand for every one.
If you need to find your way to something particular it would be better to have a map to take with you.
If pressing parts of the tactile map could activate spoken words this would help a lot of people
These maps could point out particular tactile or hands on exhibits
We need to look at these maps as something which will help EVERYONE to find their way - not just VI or people with learning disabilities.

Making your mark - NML workshop

2009-03-25T06:52:00.001-07:00

making your mark in reference to the Calder stones and formby footprints ancient marks made. Museum plan to offer visitors a chance to make their mark, so we used this activity as a discussion point.

access to heritage workshop museum of Liverpool

2009-01-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

Alex, Julia, Lizzie and Helen have made a model of the tactile map to scale.

They have brought tin lids to record sound and lots of textures to add to the map.

The group labelled the map with all of their suggestions so that the designers can see what they mean.

The staff from the museum will take the model to the next design meeting.

2009-01-30T07:15:00.000-08:00

7^th November 2008

Touch Symbols workshop at the World Museum

We decided to look at choosing symbols to show what you can/cannot touch in a museum or gallery.

To do this I brought a selection of symbols, some handprints and a tin lid

(Voice recorder)

Alex and Lizzy provided some museum exhibits from their handling collections.

The four groups each set up their own museums on a tabletop and used the symbols in which ever way they wanted to show what you were or were not allowed to touch.

When the mini museums were ready the groups spent some time looking at everyone else’s museum.

Each group had a different approach to telling people what they can or can’t touch.

The group from L8 had four or five exhibits lined up in a row – there was one object that was not allowed to be touched which was marked with a big symbol of a hand with a cross through it.

Visitors to this museum thought that they weren’t allowed to touch anything.

The Royal School for the Blind had 3 very tactile objects – but there was one that wasn’t meant to be touched.

They used the tin lid with a voice recording of Mark saying “ DO NOT TOUCH”

Visitors to their museum weren’t sure if they were allowed to touch anything – even the tin lid so until they were told they didn’t press the button to hear the message and when they did hear the message they assumed that they shouldn’t touch anything.

The group from Halewood used the handprints for their museum and they had some instructions as well.

“Where you see this symbol (the hand print) you may touch.”

They put a handprint next to each object that you were allowed to touch.

This was quite successful because they had instructions as well as a symbol.

Dovecot Mac group had two sets of objects, which were separated from each other.

One area had lots of symbols for touch – the other had lots of do not touch symbols – because the objects were separated from each other the message was clearer.

People understood the symbol of a hand with a red line through it as a danger sign so it certainly worked to stop people from touching things.

The Hand print worked as a symbol but only in conjunction with clear instructions – but is a much more positive way

building blocks tactile maps

2009-01-30T06:58:00.000-08:00

Using the building blocks helped the group to understand what we meant by a tactile map.

Once they had built their models they were able to think about other elements that they would like to include in the map.

nclude some ships in the Mersey

Windows and Flags

Ventilation shaft – is a land mark

As are liverbirds and the clock.

Cars that we can move?

Details like sculptures, pillars and Gates

Sea serpent

Textures like the stone and shell texture we felt on one of the buildings.

Texture for river, roads, each individual building…….

Including sounds –

Sounds that are touch activated.

Sounds of cars or river noises – boat horns….

Should things tell you what they are – like liver building – do you want to hear more information too or not?

Could there be people?

A tactile key for the map that you press and it tells you what the texture represents.

2009-01-30T06:44:00.000-08:00

Friday 12^th September

Access to heritage workshop in the World Museum Liverpool –

Looking at ways of making an accessible tactile map for the new museum.

In August the forum members had been on a ferry trip to look at the buildings on the Liverpool docks from the river – we looked at some of the pictures taken on the trip to remind us of the trip and about what buildings there were.

There we re also some pictures of buildings near to the new museum and we were reminded that we had felt the textures of the buildings themselves.

Then using sheets of paper, wooden blocks and felt tips the groups built their own models of the area around the new museum.

tactile map workshop

2009-01-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

Friday 12^th September

Access to heritage workshop in the World Museum Liverpool –

Looking at ways of making an accessible tactile map for the new museum.

I n August the forum members had been on a ferry trip to look at the buildings on the Liverpool docks from the river – we looked at some of the pictures taken on the trip to remind us of the trip and about what buildings there were.

There we re also some pictures of buildings near to the new museum and we were reminded that we had felt the textures of the buildings themselves.

Then using sheets of paper, wooden blocks and felt tips the groups built their own models of the area around the new museum.

Using the building blocks helped the group to understand what we meant by a tactile map.

Once they had built their models they were able to think about other elements that they would like to include in the map

.Suggestions from the forum

Include some ships in the Mersey