Discovery Museum Announces 2023 Series of Free Events for Families of Children with Disabilities
Especially for Me program, now in its 13th year, offers free Museum access for families with children on the autism spectrum or who have vision or hearing loss or sensory issues
ACTON - Discovery Museum announced today the full 2023 schedule for the Especially for Me series of free events for families with children on the autism spectrum or who have vision or hearing loss or sensory issues. The first event of the year, an Autism-Friendly Evening, will be held this Saturday, January 7, 5:00 to 8:00pm. Space is limited and advance registration is required at https://26033.blackbaudhosting.com/26033/Especially-for-Me-Free-Autism-Friendly-Evening-07Jan2023. Space is still available.
This is the 13th year of the popular program series that offers families an opportunity to play together when the Museum is closed to the public and capacity is limited in order to improve access. Because admission is free, families may come and go based on their child’s needs without concern for cost. Parents also have the chance to meet other families in similar circumstances, thereby reducing feelings of isolation often described by families dealing with special needs. A medical diagnosis is not required to attend.
Discovery Museum is ADA-compliant and all exhibits are accessible, designed according to Universal Design principles to be both aesthetically pleasing and useable by the widest possible range of people, without regard to age or ability.
Special resources are available to families including noise-reducing headphones, a sensory guide to the Museum, sensory-based programming, and American Sign Language (ASL) language facilitators at some events. Additionally, dinner, including a gluten-free option, is provided at all evening events.
All Especially for Me events are free to attend for all family members, but preregistration is required. Dates and registration links can be found online at http://bit.ly/EspeciallyforMe.
2023 Event Schedule
Mornings for Families of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, & KODA Infants and Toddlers (closed to the public):
Mondays 9:30am to 12:30pm | February 13, September 11
Sensory-Friendly Afternoons (open to the public, but no group visits are scheduled):
Tuesdays 1:30 to 4:30pm | February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, August 1, October 3, November 7, December 5
Evenings for Families with Deaf, Hard of Hearing, & KODA Children (closed to the public):
Saturdays 5:00 to 8:00pm | March 11, May 6, December 2.
Evenings for Families with a Visual Impairment (closed to the public):
Saturdays 5:00 to 8:00pm | February 4, October 7.
Autism-Friendly Evenings (closed to the public):
Saturdays 5:00 to 8:00pm | January 7, March 18, April 1, June 3, September 16, October 21, December 16
All-Access Evenings (closed to the public):
Saturdays 5:00 to 8:00pm | January 21, May 20, June 17, November 18
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Autism-friendly events are offered in conjunction with Autism Alliance of MetroWest; events for children with hearing loss are offered in conjunction with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Especially for Me is part of the museum’s Open Door Connections program to provide opportunities for those who face a variety of barriers---financial, developmental, or cultural---to experience the Museum.
Especially for Me is made possible by Alexion Charitable Foundation and Orville W. Forté Charitable Foundation, with additional support from Ameriprise Financial, Inc., Corning Incorporated Foundation, Greater Lowell Community Foundation, and Mass Cultural Council, along with Emerson Hospital and Nypro, Inc.
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Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum that blends science, nature, and play, inspiring families to explore and learn together. The museum and its Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and 550sf treehouse blend the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre campus abutting 180 acres of conservation land in Acton, MA, about 20 miles west of Boston. Originally founded in 1982 and expanded to two museums in 1987, the museum reopened in a single, 16,000sf accessible building after a complete renovation and expansion in early 2018. Hands-on, open-ended exhibits developed by professional educators inspire curiosity and exploration, providing a fun and engaging experience for children and adults to discover their world together. Serving families and schools from towns throughout the region, the museum is devoted to informal education that enhances classroom learning. Discovery Museum is committed to accessibility and is a proud recipient of the 2017 Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, the only winner in the Access category, and a 2018 LEAD® Community Asset Award from The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information please visit www.discoveryacton.org. Discovery Museum is a community-supported non-profit organization.
Discovery Museum programming is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
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