I have recently started volunteering at The Brunel museum. I was attracted to the the museum because it is a site of fascinating stories and striking spaces, a truly unique place, telling the story of how Marc Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel built the first tunnel beneath a navigable river. However it can also be a challenging site to navigate. The entrance is tucked away in a quiet street, the Engine House is small and sometimes busy, and the underground chamber is echoey and dimly lit. Even the stairs themselves can be a sensory challenge
I was pleased to be asked to create a Visual Story for the museum as I saw this as an unique opportunity to help find a way of making the museum experience clearer and less overwhelming for visitors who might find unfamiliar spaces stressful. I wanted the Visual Story to prepare people in advance, so that nothing about the visit would come as a surprise. The visual story focuses on the journey from arrival to departure. It covers what visitors will see when they arrive, how tickets are purchased, what the different spaces look and feel like, and what sensory elements they might encounter (for example, echoing sounds in the shaft, or quiet moments in the garden).
As someone who is neurodivergent, I know first-hand the difference that small adjustments can make. When I was studying History at Goldsmiths, I was given access to quiet study spaces and other supportive adjustments. These weren’t costly interventions, but they made a huge difference to my ability to focus, manage my energy, and succeed. I wanted to carry that knowledge forward and apply it in a museum setting, so that other people, whatever their access needs, feel supported and included.
This was my first attempt at making a visual story, everything was put together using just my iPhone. I took the photos, drafted the text, and laid it out simply in a Word document. The aim was to show that accessibility resources don’t have to be expensive or overcomplicated to have a real impact.
We’re really keen to make sure that this Visual Story is as useful as possible to as many people as possible, so please do share the visual story as widely as possible. If you have any suggestions about how we can make it even better, please get in touch with hello@thebrunelmuseum.com
You can download a pdf of the Visual Story by clicking on this link – Brunel Museum Visual Story
You can visit the Brunel Museum’s accessibility page here – https://thebrunelmuseum.com/visiting-us/accessibility/