Becky Root

I went to the Impression 5 Science Center in Lansing and really enjoyed the experience. I went with my family and even though we didn’t have a young child with us, I really enjoyed it because the museum was accessible to all peoples, not just the younger generation. Even though the accessibility was wonderful, there was a lack of people around to talk to. Even though the museum isn’t a museum in the conventional sense, there should have been people around. There was few signs explaining what we were learning, instead there were signs saying how to interact with the exhibit but no way on what we were learning. Having staff or volunteers around would have been helpful to discuss things.

But the accessibility I thought was wonderful. Since it wasn’t a conventional museum, there was no signs with complex words or word dense signs. This is helpful for people that either don’t speak English as a first language or are dyslexic. The pictures were everywhere and helpful. The chairs around the museum were numerous, so the visitors were able to sit down and take a break. Also the chairs were at an average height so adults and children could sit comfortably. Some exhibits had Spanish signs and instructions which was helpful for the Spanish speaking community. Each exhibit was very hands-on, so the visitors could have work with the objects, instead of just reading about them. There was a second floor, but there was an elevator and many of the exhibits one could either sit on the ground and interact or sit on a chair. Other exhibits involved throwing things or making things, but could be changed for people with low strength. The one downside was if a person had low motor skills, some of the exhibits weren’t accessible for them. But, overall the museum was very accessible for everyone.