Institution: Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, Palo Alto CA

Curious by Nature | Inclusion and Accessibility Plan

Audience Research, Formative Evaluation

The original Palo Alto Junior Museum naturally attracted families with special needs because of their approachable scale, multi-user friendly exhibits and warm, loving staff. Staff eagerly took on the challenge of creating experiences that are completely accessible, physically and cognitively. Plans for the recently re-built facility are rooted in research that I co-designed with staff. We conducted several group interviews with parents of children with a wide range of disabilities for two different projects at the Zoo. The first was for the Curious by Nature exhibition, funded by IMLS. Additional sessions, funded in part by the Packard Foundation, were foundational in the development of the new Zoo’s physical layout, as well as influencing communications strategies, programming plans, and more.

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