Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Accessibility Review: Great Explorations - Great Connections

The exhibit hall of Great Explorations is bustling with activity, from kids and their parents. On the right is a treehouse with a yellow slide, which a child is exiting. To the left of that is a Lego table. Beyond that are a number of other exhibits. In the top-left corner of the picture is the Great Explorations logo.
Accessibility Grade:
A+

Back in April of 2023, we did an Accessibility Review for a local children's Museum called Great Explorations. If you'd like to read our initial thoughts, click or tap here to read that post. Our initial impression of the museum's accessibility was very positive! Naturally, when we learned that Great Explorations hosts a regular, sensory-friendly event for children on the autism spectrum, we had to check it out. So, let's take a look at their "Great Connections" event, discuss the intentions behind it, and then give our thoughts on the whole thing.

Started in 2015, Great Connections is a family-friendly, monthly program that's trailered to children with disabilities. It takes place on the second Saturday of every month, from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., and every second Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Additionally, it is free to families and their children with disabilities.

A purple backpack. Stitched on it is the Great Explorations logo. Beneath it are the words: "sensory backpack."
What is the difference between the typical Great Explorations programs and Great Connections? During this event, the museum closes its doors to the general public, and provides a cool down room for children on the autism spectrum, who may need to take a break from activities and additional stimuli. To make things more inviting for children with sensory issues, lights are dimmed and music is turned off. Additionally, sensory backpacks are available for check out at Guest Services. Although  the museum is happy to lend out their own sensory devices, it's encouraged for you to bring your own sensory support items, from home, to ensure that your child feels as safe and comfortable as possible.

The lobby of Great Explorations. Kyle and Bella are at the back of the room, in front of a wall that is filled with a number of animal enclosures. There are two tables set up in the room, with purple table cloths. On the table are a few sensory toys. On the floor, there is a blue yoga mat and a few bean bag chairs.

When you enter Great Explorations, their lobby is very spacious. There were two tables set up, which had a number of sensory toys on and around them. If your kiddos like to color, there are crayons and coloring sheets available. On the back wall, there are a series of reptile enclosures.

Leo, the bearded dragon. He is a tan color, matching the color of the rock that he is sitting on. His front legs are resting on a rock, which is a higher elevation than his hind legs, giving the illusion that he's sitting. He is looking sideways, into the camera.
Their Living Collection is home to a variety of reptiles, including fan favorites: Candy Corn, the albino corn snake, and Leo, the famous bearded dragon. There are a number of other animals, such as leopard geckos (Charmander was my personal favorite, because I'm a huge Pokémon fan), turtles, as well as a few more snakes and lizards. If your kiddo is fascinated by reptiles, they'll have so much fun looking at the Living Collection.

A map of the Great Explorations exhibit hall. At the bottom of the map is a key, which shows a list of color-coded symbols, where each color indicates a different kind of sensory aversion. A green lightbulb indicates bright lights; a blue circle, featuring a two stick figures, indicates restrooms; a yellow puzzle piece indicates a cool-down area; an orange droplet indicates a messy area; a red, walking stick figure indicates big movements; and a purple ear indicates areas that have loud sounds.
The gallery features a wide range exhibits, which may be too noisy or bright for some children on the spectrum. To help your child have the most fun possible, Great Explorations has a color-coded guide. On it, you'll find a map of the exhibit layout, including sensory-related information. This resource is a wonderful tool, helping guide you and your child to the most enjoyable exhibits, and away from the ones that they would have aversions towards.

When you enter the exhibit hall, children have access to all of the exhibits that are typically available. Even though we've outlined these in our previous Accessibility Review, it's worth going over some of them again, including new exhibits and any changes made to existing ones. Note that, during the Great Connections event, many of the lights in the building will automatically be dimmed. Additionally, to protect the safety of children with sensory aversions, some of the noisiest exhibits will either be silenced, have their lights dimmed, or may even be turned off.

Bella shows Kyle around the exhibit "My First Market," modeled after a Publix supermarket. There are areas for different types of food, including a produce section, baked goods, etc. On the left, there is a green arrow that says "Checkout," which points to two registers, featuring red cash registers.
My First Market is a mock supermarket, modeled after and sponsored by Publix supermarket. Here, kids can have the chance to shop around for fake produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, and more. There are shopping carts available, and even cash registers at the checkout counters!

Bella makes a fake sandwich, using ingredients made out of a soft, inedible material. In the picture, she has laid out a loaf of bread, and placed onion, tomato, and lettuce on it. We see her placing a square of cheese onto the sandwich.
Another interesting part of the exhibit, which we weren't able to feature in our first Accessibility Review, is a  sandwich station. Here, children can make their own sandwiches (which are not edible), choosing from a number of fake ingredients. These were all hand-sewn, and are really soft to the touch.

Bella is holding a purple and pink tie dye stegosaurus, with white, sparkly spikes. Bella holds the dinosaur stuffed animal, which has yet to be filled with stuffing. Next to them are a few, other kinds of stuffed animals, separated into different cubbies.
The next exhibit that we visited is called the Steam Station. While it can be a great place to showcase different types of demonstrations and performances, we were most interested in their stuffed animal maker. Here, a Great Explorations team member can assist you and your child, making their very own stuffed animal! There were a number of different options to choose from, but this sparkly stegosaurus caught me eye.
Bella lays on their back, in the center of the fake lagoon, arms outstretched as they smile. Their head is resting on one of the pillows, shaped like lily pads. There are additional lily pad pillows strewn around them.
Bella guided us to the next exhibit, called "Tiny Explorers Lagoon." In addition to the farmed-themed activity wall, which we showed off in the previous review, this area also features a fake lagoon that feels like laying on a water bed. There are soft pillows, in the shape of lily pads, for kids to play with, as they pretend to swim. This area is typically great for kids on the spectrum, as it offers a variety of different textures and sensations for them to explore, in a way that feels safe for them.

As with our previous Accessibility Review, Great Explorations lived up to our expectations. Overall, we love what this museum stands for, and believe that their Great Connections program is a great resource for families who have children with disabilities. Whether your kiddo is on the spectrum or not, I'd highly encourage you to check out this spectacular event!

And a special thanks to Bella Perkins, Development Specialist and Sensory Programs Lead, for giving us an incredible tour!

Author: Kyle Romano















Photographer: Luis Rodriguez
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Accessibility Review: Great Explorations - Great Connections

Accessibility Grade: A+ Back in April of 2023, we did an Accessibility Review for a local children's Museum called Great Explorations. I...