Wabash, IN —The Wabash County Museum received three grants in June toward their work to become a Sensory Friendly Museum.
On Tuesday, June 14, 2022, Teresa Galley, Executive Director of the Wabash County Museum attended an awards ceremony at Subaru in Lafayette, Indiana, to accept a $12,000 check towards the Museum’s efforts. This award followed two others that were received earlier in the month from the Floyd A. & Frieda S. Guynn Foundation and the Leah M. Sundheimer Foundation.
“We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to our efforts to become a Sensory Friendly Museum,” said Galley.
“One in six members of the Wabash County Community are affected by sensory friendly issues. We want the Museum to be an inclusive place that fully engages all of our guests. The Museum’s work to become sensory friendly began about a year ago with an assessment from an Autism specialist. With these grants, we now have the funding to begin the process.”
The planning has already begun. When the project is complete, the team will have tackled challenges like noise pollution created when several auto-triggered exhibits are in the same area, something that can negatively affect guests with hearing challenges or noise sensitivities. The Museum will be zoned based on the sensory benefits and challenges guests might experience in different areas and a Sensory Friendly Zone Map will be created. These are just a few examples of improvements the Museum team plans to accomplish with this project.
If you would like to support the Museum’s efforts to become a Sensory Friendly Museum, please contact Teresa Galley at the Museum or visit www.wabashmuseum.org/donate.
The Wabash County Museum is located at 36 E Market Street in downtown Wabash. With a mission to inspire children, connect families, and create community engagement through an appreciation of local history and culture that focuses on research, education, and quality of life interests, the Museum is a not-for-profit, operating entirely through memberships, admissions, and private donations. To learn more about the Museum, follow on Facebook, Instagram, and visit www.wabashmuseum.org.