Amersham Museum Access Statement

1. Introduction and background

Amersham Museum is a local history museum located in the medieval market town of Amersham, north-west of London. The museum is housed in part of a 15^th century hall house and a 19^th century building with a new extension which includes seven public rooms and a herb garden. The museum displays a social history collection, which includes photographs, documents, objects and oral histories.

The museum has a regular programme of events, for families and for adult visitors. There are also regular talks and walks. The museum has a website www.amershammuseum.org

In 2023, the Museum engaged Bucks Disability Service (BuDS) to carry out a comprehensive access audit to inform future changes to our approach, our communication and our buildings. This informed work carried out to re-launch the timeline and temporary exhibition galleries in March 2024, and led to grant-funded improvements to physical access in the building during 2024, supported by South East Museum Development, and the Amersham Community Board. Funding from the National Paralympic Heritage Trust, supported our Learning Officer to create a Visual Story and interactive timeline mat activity for the museum, and to provide additional resources to support informal and formal visits from people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We launched new supporting material on our website for SEND visitors in March 2025 https://amershammuseum.org/send/

Our 3 year Creating Connections project, funded by the Rothchild Foundation, identifies SEND visitors as one of four core audiences that we will focus on. This project started in April 2024.

2. Amersham Museum’s Commitment to Access – overcoming barriers

 2.1 Amersham Museum recognises that different users have different needs and is committed to providing access to all visitors. The museum works to identify and remove barriers that might prevent fair and equal access to the museum’s collections, as far as is practicable and within budgetary, legal and planning constraints.

2.2 The museum has identified the following areas where barriers to access might exist. This document briefly outlines some of the most recent work done to address some of the barriers.

2.2.1Physical Access to the Museum’s Collections

The museum is committed to improving physical access to the museum’s collections. In 2016/17 the expansion programme into 51 High Street resulted in improvements to the access to the 15^th century building.  The new glass reception reveals the building to the High Street and the increased space has resulted in a redisplay where more of the historic building is visible to visitors. Redesigning the patio area has enabled wheelchair access to the whole garden. The Victorian building has access to the first floor via a platform lift. Additional improvements in 2024 have included the addition of handrails for internal and external stairs, more accessible fixtures in the inside toilet, and improved signage to highlight uneven flooring.

The museum’s website has made significant steps in improving virtual access to the museum’s collections since 2013. Work is underway to make a step-change in the amount of collections material online, with the launch of a new virtual collections website section in early 2025.

2.2.2 Emotional and Attitudinal Access

The museum welcomes all people to the museum and works to create a friendly and welcoming environment. There is an ongoing programme of outreach work – temporary exhibitions, sessions in schools and care homes – to improve the profile of the museum to current and new users.

2.2.3 Financial Access

The museum regularly reviews the admission fees and the cost of talks, walks and programming. Prices have remained low and admission to children is free to ensure affordability. The Friends of the Museum membership gives free access to the museum and discounted entry to events.

2.2.4 Cultural Access

The museum understands the importance of making collections relevant and accessible to people from all different cultural backgrounds. Interpretation is delivered in a variety of ways, so text in English is not the only way to access information and is planned to ensure that prior knowledge is not a prerequisite for understanding and enjoyment.

2.2.5 Sensory Access

The museum recognises the benefits of a multisensory experience, particularly for those with disabilities. The museum has developed more multisensory interpretation in recent years, with many more opportunities to touch introduced. Discovery bags and a ‘Take a Break’ box are two recent additions that recognise that visitors may want to explore the museum in their own way.

The garden is also a multisensory experience and both the space and plants have been used for a range of hands-on activities in recent years. 

2.2.6 Intellectual Access

The museum is committed to ensuring that visitors feel comfortable and confident in the museum environment and do not need any prior knowledge or understanding of history to enjoy their visit. Interpretation is delivered in a variety of way to ensure stories and objects can be enjoyed on a range of levels.

3. Amersham Museum’s Commitment to Access – approach

 In order to continue to address these barriers, Amersham Museum has identified the following approaches that it plans to build into its future strategy and activity:

3.1 Ethos: An ethos that demonstrates respect, understanding and sensitivity towards the diverse needs of all users and potential users.

The museum has a commitment to access, diversity and inclusion. There is an internal culture and procedures that support and encourage access and participation. The Board are actively involved and encourage respect and understanding towards different users, and users are consulted in the ongoing running of the museum.

3.2 Policy and Planning: A policy and planning process which outlines aims, objectives and practices relating to equal access.

The museum has an access statement specifically relating to equality of access for staff or for visitors. This is coupled with an action plan, based on a comprehensive audit carried out by Bucks Disability Service in 2023. The Board has a dedicated Access and Inclusion Trustee who provides oversight of this area, working with the staff team.

3.3 Collections: Collections that take all users and potential users into account, seeking to engage their interest and celebrate diversity.

The museum’s development policy and collections care policy mention issues of access, diversity, inclusion and relevance, but not in any great depth.

3.4 Users and potential users: To actively consult a diverse range of users and potential users to ensure that services provided meet their needs.

The museum has knowledge of the diverse profile of users and potential users through a variety of quantitative and qualitative data (local area profiles, census, focus groups). The museum has an understanding and appreciation of the diverse needs of users and potential users through annual surveys and other evaluation. There are systems and structures that enable users’ and potential users’ participation, although this could be extended further. There is an evaluation process with visitors.

3.5 Marketing and publicity: To produce marketing and publicity which identifies, develops and promotes collections and services to all users and potential users.

The museum promotes services to a broad range of users through a variety of media, talks, visits and outreach activities. The museum does not effectively monitor whether there is increased participation from groups who are under-represented and publicity is not developed in consultation with those groups. There is consultation with local community groups and partnership work but this could be extended.

3.6 Staffing and training: To ensure that recruitment, retention and training supports service provision to all users and potential users.

The Museum’s Equality Policy was reviewed, refreshed and adopted in 2023. However, further work could be implemented to provide policy support to cover boards and trustees, employees, volunteers, recruitment, training and development, retention and support.

3.7 Partnerships and Networking: To be outward looking, proactive and responsive in networking and forming links and partnerships with other domains, organisations and agencies.

The museum makes an active commitment to develop partnerships that promote access, diversity and inclusion. This is enshrined in the mission statement and actions are laid down in the Forward Plan. The museum actively develops partnerships within the community and is proactive in forming links and partnerships within the sector at appropriate levels. The museum appreciates the value of engaging in links and partnerships with other organisations engaged in access and inclusion, including schools, local authorities and voluntary organisations.