The Allegany Museum has been recognized as a Certified Autism Center, having undergone extensive training to assess sensory needs and communicate differences through a variety of channels, helping individuals better understand the unique challenges faced by families with children with autism.
The Allegany Museum welcomes all families, particularly those with children with autism or those with children who may be hypersensitive to the sensory experience.
Extensive training to assess sensory needs
To create an environment conducive to children with autism during certification, a professional representative from an outside organization worked closely with the Allegany Museum to conduct a thorough on-site survey.
The outside organization used its professional knowledge and experience to observe and assess the number of people, noise levels, lighting conditions, and the level of activity in each museum room at different times of day. They then compiled a series of maps showing the relative noise level, lighting conditions, and number of individuals present in each room, and how they related to one another. The maps created during the certification process will allow parents to have advanced notice of situations that may be inappropriate for their child.
Certifying Centres for Autism have been designed to create an environment for individuals with autism that is not only conducive to their health and development but also to help families understand the support systems available to their child once the child enters and becomes part of an Autism Centre.
Why This Change Matters
Dr. Emily Kasecamp from the museum shared that this training opened their eyes to what families experience. She said learning from parents, autistic individuals, and trainers helped the staff understand how much sensory-friendly planning matters. She believes that when a place chooses to welcome all learners, the whole community becomes stronger and kinder.
The certification group supporting this effort praised the museum’s commitment; it is the families themselves that will have an opportunity to feel like they belong in a way that they did not before. Many parents tend to stay away from both museums and other public places due to either being overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, etc., of the environment, being judged by strangers, or being concerned that their child may have trouble navigating through the visit. However, this museum is making it possible for families to feel less stressed and to take a breath through the inclusion of sensory guides and quiet hours.
Extra Support for Families
The Allegany Museum is listed on a free accessibility app that helps families find sensory-friendly places. This tool gives parents a way to plan safe, comfortable outings without guessing what they might encounter. Families can also look up other supportive locations online, especially when traveling.
About Allegany Museum
The museum is situated in downtown Cumberland, Maryland, and has been deemed among the top small-town museums in the country. It has more than 50,000 artifacts and tells the story of the region, its initial communities, and its industrial history, striving to make the history relevant to everyone.
Nevada Autism Center provides ABA treatment and family-based intervention in Las Vegas. We like to see and celebrate when organizations provide easier experiences for autistic individuals.
We also want to help spread awareness of businesses/organizations that are working towards being more welcoming to our community of autistic families, because we know every child should have the opportunity to access, understand, and experience joy.
