The Guggenheim for All Toolkit Launches during Autism Acceptance Month

Photo: Filip Wolk

A first-of-its-kind resource, the toolkit was designed to help any cultural institution make their programs more accessible for visitors with autism and sensory sensitivities.

The Guggenheim for All Toolkit is a resource that aims to help cultural organizations become more accessible spaces for neurodivergent individuals by extending educational resources to museum staff and beyond. Developed by and for museums, its intended use is far reaching, serving as a roadmap for institutions as they prioritize the comfort and enjoyment of audiences on the spectrum. The activities and strategies presented in the toolkit are drawn from the collective expertise of different members of the autism community; including classroom teachers, museum educators, occupational therapists, employment specialists, and autistic individuals and their families.

Anna Martin, Project Manager, School, Youth & Inclusion Initiatives, states: “We are proud to share the toolkit, which gathers the hard work of many into a rich resource that we believe can be utilized by institutions near and far. It is so important for these spaces to be accessible and welcoming for all, and we are optimistic that the GFA Toolkit will serve as a support in that process.”

A foundational section of the toolkit contains an overview of the characteristics of autism—and how they might be recognized by neurotypical people—which is meant to inform museum staff and minimize barriers to entry. It details the overarching sensory principles associated with autism, or the ways it affects one’s perception, and offers specific guidelines and strategies for museums to reduce or even eliminate associated, unpleasant sensory experiences.

Another key resource in the toolkit provides guidance on the creation of education programs for autistic learners in museums. The section covers sensory tools and maps, social narratives, and lesson plans and activities that can be reproduced at other institutions, along with suggestions for how to customize and develop them in accordance with other museums’ curricula. Furthermore, the toolkit includes frameworks for training programs to guide staff with facilitating art and close-looking programs with neurodivergent audiences.
In addition to outlining ways to improve museums’ engagement with visitors with autism and sensory sensitivities, the toolkit sets forth best practices for developing internship and employment opportunities for neurodivergent individuals within cultural organizations. This includes instructions for structuring a program, interviewing, onboarding, and supporting neurodivergent employees on the job.

About Guggenheim for All

Guggenheim for All is an initiative to create a welcoming and accessible museum experience for visitors with autism and sensory sensitivities. It provides resources for museum visitors, programs that support creative exploration and learning, and opportunities for engagement that highlight the strengths and interests of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Guggenheim For All is made possible by Katherine and Peter Kend, Annie and Gaines Wehrle, and Michael Wehrle in honor of Ebersole Gaines and Peter Lawson-Johnston.

Additional support is provided by The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation.

A Program of the Gail May Engelberg Center for Arts Education.

About the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was established in 1937 and is dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art through exhibitions, education programs, research initiatives, and publications. The international constellation of museums includes the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; and the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. An architectural icon and “temple of spirit” where radical art and architecture meet, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is now among a group of eight Frank Lloyd Wright structures in the United States recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. To learn more about the museum and the Guggenheim’s activities around the world, visit guggenheim.org.

@Guggenheim
guggenheim.org/social