Accessibility Grade: A-
Accessible Parking
While we didn't get any pictures of the parking situation, we definitely had a difficult time finding accessible parking; however, I must point out that this isn't the museum's fault. All in all, finding parking in Downtown Tampa, especially accessible parking, can be pretty difficult. To begin with, it was unclear where we should park. After finally navigating the busy streets, which were under construction, we finally found our way to the recommended William F. Poe garage. To enter, you must be able to grab a token from the machine, located at the garage's entrance. It's a good thing that I wasn't alone, because I am a quad-amputee, which means that I couldn't reach out of my window to use the machine. I needed assistance to do this. Once we were finally inside, the garage was also under construction, which made it more confusing to navigate. Once we parked, we even had difficulty figuring out how to exit the garage, and make our way to the museum. The accessible entrance is located on the west side of the building, between the Glazer Children's Museum and the Tampa Museum of Art, which was also difficult for us to find. Are you noticing a pattern, here? It was a shame to experience these struggles, even before we got the chance to enter the museum. It's especially frustrating because the museum ended up being such a remarkable institution. But now that we have that out of the way, let's get to talking about the museum, itself!
The Glazer Children's museum does a great job of accommodating a variety of accessibility needs. If you have mobility limitations and need something like a wheelchair, they have a limited number of VELA mobility chairs. These are free for guests to rent and are available, by request, at Guest Services. Keep in mind that they are first come, first served. If you need a VELA mobility chair, before you arrive at the children's museum, it would be a good idea to call and request one. In addition to these mobility devices, the museum offers a number of additional accessibility devices. This service includes important resources for children with disabilities, including weighted vests, fidget toys, noise-cancelling headphones, sound amplifiers, and more.
For individuals who are hard of hearing, or who have an auditory processing disorder, you can rent a device called a Poketalker Sound Amplifier. It can help to increase the level of sound that is closest to you, while cutting out background noise. It can either be used with or without hearing aids. For kiddos who experience red-green color blindness, a pair of child-size EnChtroma Glasses are available to rent. Lastly, for kids and adults who experience sensory sensitivities, KultureCity Sensory Bags are available at guest services, upon request. Within them, guests will find a few helpful tools, including: noise reducing headphones from Pure Sound Labs, fidget devices of different types (marble, noodle, and mesh), strobe reduction glasses, a VIP lanyard, a visual cue card, and a weighted lap pad.
Onto The Exhibits!
KidsPort
The first exhibit that we visited was KidsPort. Here, kids can enjoy playing with a variety of water toys. A replica of the Skyway Bridge stands at the middle, surrounded by sea creatures, boats, helicopters, and more. You can send a ball all the way across the bridge, and see how long it takes to reach the other side. The height of the KidsPort should be appropriate for most kiddos; however, if your child is a wheelchair user, there's a chance that they could experience difficulty reaching into the exhibit and playing with the water toys. Of course, this experience will be different for every child, so just keep that in mind.
After we rode the elevator upstairs, we made our way to the next exhibit: Art Smart. Here, kids have access to a large, open area. In this space, there are a variety of activities for them to engage with, including a variety of arts and crafts. Kiddos can build towers out of blocks and tiles. If your child loves music, there is an interactive wall mural a that's wonderful way to get your blood flowing. You may even want to use this opportunity to have that dance off you've been thinking about. Because there's so much room, this exhibit is plenty big for children who use mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers, etc. From what we observed, everything appeared as if it would be within reach of children who use mobility equipment.
In this exhibit, kids can pretend that they are firefighters. Whether they want to slide down a pole, or take the firetruck simulator for a spin, this exhibit would be a blast for children who love to play firefighters. While we thought that these features were really cool, I should point that it may be tough for kids who have mobility disabilities. To get into the front seat of the fire truck, you may need to transfer your child from their wheelchair. Depending on their core strength, they also may need assistance to stand up straight, or reach any of the devices, such as the steering wheel. Though the Firehouse exhibit was really cool, due its nature, I was under the impression that it wouldn't be very accessible for some children who have mobility disabilities.
Here, a number of art supplies are available to children and their families, where everybody is encouraged to be flex their art muscles to create their own works of art! While we visited, families were using art supplies to make their own gingerbread houses. Depending on when you go to the Glazer Children's Museum, this space may be used to create different kinds of artwork, with different kinds of supplies. This space was really accessible. The Make Space features a couple of long, wooden tables, where you and your family can channel your inner artist. The size of the tables offer plenty of room for people who use mobility devices. The stools are also easy to move out of the way, making it even easier to access the tables.
This exhibit appeared to be great for kiddos who are on the autism spectrum. It had low light and, since it was situated away from other exhibits, there was significantly less noise. While the kids play around with the sand, an overhead projector shines an ocean scene onto it. They can play around with the sand, or even use it as a good chance to stim, while watching a variety of sea creatures glide across its smooth surface.
Big John
Since I was a kid, I've been absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs. It just so happens that the Glazer Children's Museum is home to the largest, and one of the most complete, Triceratops fossils in the world! Standing at about 10 feet tall, and 26 feet long, Big John obviously gets his namesake from his massive size! In fact, he's estimated to be about 5-10% larger than any triceratops that we've discovered, up to this point in time. Likely from a fight with another Triceratops, Big John had sustained an injury to his frill, which is evident by the large hole in it. There's even a tunnel, leading under Big John, allowing kids the opportunity to see the fossil from a different view; however, this tunnel was too low to the ground for most, if not all, wheelchair users. Just something to keep in mind.
In addition to the wonderful exhibits that the Glazer Children's Museum has to offer, their inclusive programs make the institution a great resource for families with disabled children. Each summer, the museum hosts Camp Imagination. During select weeks, they feature additional staff, who are specially trained and knowledgeable of children with disabilities. They also have a quiet room for campers who experience sensory sensitivities, such as children on the autism spectrum. You can even request reimbursement through the museum's program, called the "Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities." If you are interested, send an email to camps@glazermuseum.org and request an application.
In closing, the Glazer Children's Museum was a wonderful institution. As mentioned above, just be mindful of the parking situation. Aside from that, the museum itself offers a safe space to learn, for children and parents alike.
Author:
Kyle Romano
Photographer:
Luis Rodriguez
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