Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service: Access Policy

Access Policy

1. Mission Statement

Norfolk's museum collections and landscape heritage are for the inspiration, education and enjoyment of all. Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service (NMAS) holds our common heritage in trust and makes it available to the widest possible audience.

2. Our definition of access

NMAS recognises there are many barriers to access at all levels of the museum service. However we believe that all people have a fundamental right to engage with, use and enjoy the service.

We define access as something that is made possible when physical, cultural, social, financial, intellectual, psychological and emotional barriers are removed or reduced.

3. Our commitment to accessibility

NMAS aims to provide the widest possible access to its museums, collections and services to enable audiences from all sections of the community to enjoy use of the museums. We will provide access to services in the wider community and within museums we will aim to provide independent use wherever possible.

Our policy has been written in line with Norfolk County Council’s Comprehensive Equality Policy, in which the Equality of Opportunity Statement says: “It is a fundamental principle of our policies that all people are equally valued regardless of their gender, age, disabilities, race, ethnic origin, language, religion or sexual orientation”.

Our policy is to build accessibility into everything we do to develop and improve the service. Our commitment is long term and our policy is to make continuous improvements as our resources permit.

Our commitment to accessibility extends to our staff, volunteers and work placements as well as visitors.

We are committed to ongoing training in access issues for staff and volunteers.

To eliminate barriers and ensure equality of access we will consider the following forms of accessibility:

 Physical – to enable people with physical disabilities to reach and appreciate every part of the museum service. To take into account the needs of the elderly and of people caring for young people.

 Sensory – to enable visitors with impaired vision or hearing to enjoy the museum’s buildings and collections

 Intellectual – We recognise that people have different learning styles and we will provide interpretation in a range of learning styles. We also aim to ensure people with learning difficulties can engage with and enjoy the museums and the collections.

 Cultural – to consider the needs of people for whom English is not a first language, or whose knowledge of English history and culture may be limited.

 Attitudinal / Emotional – to ensure the museum environment and museum staff are welcoming to visitors from all sections of the community. We will also aim to ensure people of Norfolk feel the museums are of significance to them.

 Financial – when reviewing our admission charges we will take into account that ability to pay can be a barrier to access.

4. Buildings

We aim to provide equal access to our buildings and facilities for all visitors. It must be appreciated that as listed buildings some physical adaptions are impossible to undertake. Nevertheless we are constantly working towards improving the facilities available to visitors with disabilities and will actively try to make our collections accessible even when our buildings are not.

5. Access to Collections

Our curators are committed to increasing public access to the collections and information and to increasing knowledge and understanding of Norfolk’s cultural heritage.

We will provide varied means of access to the collections, including displays, handling sessions, publications and events.

To increase access to the collections not on display we offer study centres, web-based resources and access to staff.

We will provide levels of information and interpretation to suit a range of audiences and abilities. We will ensure that the presentation and labelling of displays respects a diversity of background.

We will develop our handling collections and loans.

6. Access to Learning

NMAS will provide learning opportunities for different audiences and levels of ability and tailor our programme to the needs of specific groups.

We will provide education programmes for all our temporary and permanent displays to interpret the collections for people from a range of backgrounds and abilities.

We will identify and develop partnerships with a range of educational and community organisations to ensure that our activities continue to cater for the widest possible audiences.

7. Access to visitor services

Our front of house staff will assist and welcome all visitors. They will be available in the galleries to help you to understand and enjoy the collections.

We will consider the comfort of our visitors by providing, where possible, accessible toilets, baby changing facilities, access for pushchairs, seating in galleries and on-site wheelchairs.

We aim to provide appropriate signage and navigatory tools to suit a range of audiences, including a range of sensory formats and languages.

8. Access to communication

We will promote the museums’ activities and events using accessible means of communication.

We will provide publicity material on request in alternative formats for a range of needs and languages.

We provide a range of ways that people can communicate with us.

We will evaluate all our services and projects to ensure they meet the provision of this policy and we will consult users and non-users on all new developments.

9. Reviewing the policy

Information on access will be available in a range of formats including our website, minicom and customer service centre.

We will review the access policy regularly to ensure it is in line with national guidelines and standards.

Each museum within NMAS will develop its own site specific access action plan in line with this policy.

This policy will give rise to a Three Year Access Action Plan for NMAS that will outline specific needs and projects, as resources allow.

Approved by the Joint Mmuseums Committee, March 2005.