Navigating Small Spaces

Upon first entering the Tenement Museum my first observation was how narrow and uneven the floor is. However, I was asked if I wanted a wheelchair to get around. Looking at the narrow, uneven floors, I wondered how it would be possible to get around the museum in a wheelchair without disrupting the tour or knocking into the objects in the exhibit. So, I asked the tour guide and she noted that they have specific choreography that allows them to fit two wheelchairs in each room as part of a tour. The level of thought and consideration put into physical accessibility impressed me, especially considering how small the spaces can be when wheelchairs are involved. In fact, here is a link to a chart outlining the accessible options at the Tenement Museum.

In addition to wheelchair accessibility, the museum has an elevator in a central, easily accessible area. Once on the exhibit floor, the museum offers portable stools in each room of the exhibit. This allows those who do not necessarily need a wheelchair but may require frequent breaks. Overall, the Tenement museum put a lot of thought into accessibility and due to this, it was rather easy getting around the museum with an injured leg.