A Story of Inclusion and a Resource Every Museum Should Know

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As someone who regularly interacts with individuals of all ages who are on the spectrum—and with several friends and family members on the spectrum—I take pride in making my programs as accessible as possible. That’s why I’m always looking to learn about new tools, resources, and organizations doing meaningful work in this space.

Recently, one of my team members shared a story that introduced me to KultureCity, a nonprofit organization I believe every museum and public-facing space should know about.

My team member has a 19-year-old child who is on the spectrum and gets easily overstimulated in crowded environments. For their birthday (they’ll always be the kid to us), the family went to see Beetlejuice at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The kid was excited—stimming happily—but also started to become anxious as the theater filled up. This wasn’t unexpected, and they came prepared: noise-canceling headphones, backup plans, and a calm strategy. Mom and Dad stepped into action, as they always do—Dad forming a protective wall, Mom in “bear mode” to gently buffer the crowd.

What was unexpected—and wonderful—was the response from the event center staff.

One staff member calmly approached, speaking directly to the parents (not the child) and explained they had sensory tools available. They offered a weighted lap blanket and explained how to check out a KultureCity sensory bag—which includes noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, weighted blanket, and other items. After retrieving the bag, the staff member escorted the family to their seats away from the crowd, giving the kid space to decompress and enjoy the show.

It made the entire experience better—for everyone involved.

My team member was impressed not only by the tools provided, but more so by the empathy, training, and readiness of the staff. That’s when I learned the staff had been trained by KultureCity to recognize and assist individuals with sensory processing challenges.

I invited my team member, LaShell, to tell you about the experience in her own words.

Hello, my name is LaShell, and I am a team member with Kaleidoscope Heritage Focus. When you, yourself, and your child are neurodivergent the world becomes a tricky place to navigate. While I grew up masking and forcing myself to adapt to the world, the story is different for my child. And I would like to share with you a little bit about a non-profit that has impacted our lives for the better and made the world more accessible and welcoming.

From the Eyes of a Parent

When you have a child who is neurodivergent, whether that is because they are on the Autism Spectrum or not, it makes life a little bit or majorly different. Finding accessible and friendly places can be a challenging task that can be stressful. You want your child to be able to see the world and be a part of it, experiencing things. But I can tell you honestly, it is hard. And more than once, I just wanted to scream to give them space so they can be a part of this world too. THEY DESERVE TO BE HERE! Just like everyone else. 

In 2022, we decided as a family to take a cruise. While researching which cruise we wanted to take, we came across a non-profit organization called KultureCity. At the time, I learned a little about them and what the cruise ship provides as a partner with KultureCity. It meant that they had staff who had training on neurodivergent individuals, and they also had a special sensory bag and lanyard, so staff would know by sight that extra care and help might be needed. To say the least, the trip was terrific, and the staff, from room stewards to dining room staff to teen programs, all properly asked what we needed to make this trip amazing and how they could help. The room steward knew not to use strong odors. In the dining room, they warned us when things would get loud. Teen programs knew that if something happened, they would give a quiet space and page us, the parents, or the older sister. Little things that in my everyday life mean the world.

Let’s fast forward to April 2024, to celebrate our kiddo’s 19th birthday. They picked to go see a musical at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas. The Performing Arts Center is a sensory-inclusive location with KultureCity. As always, we mentally prepare and have a game plan when heading to an overstimulating, crowded environment. Some of that involves ensuring we have the KultureCity app up to date, so that if they become too overstimulated or get separated, they can use the app to communicate and ask for help.  

We headed to the musical, ready for a fun night, with noise-canceling headphones on, communication cards ready if needed, and our phones in hand for distraction and, if needed, the KultureCity app. Let’s do this. 

Our kiddo was excited, but we are still sticking to our game plan. Lines can be taxing on their body (Standing still for long periods of time). For that reason, I stand in line for show souvenirs, and they sit with Dad over on the side until I get close to the table, and then they join me. Now we wait for the doors to open for seating, and the anxiety rises, which wasn’t unexpected. We worked to reassure them, move them away from the crowd as much as possible, and use our bodies as a wall to buffer them from the crowd. All the things we do when we are in an overstimulating environment.  

Then, an unexpected and wonderful response from a member of the event center staff occurred. A staff member approached us calmly and spoke directly to my husband and me, explaining that they had sensory tools available, including the KultureCity sensory bag and weighted lap blankets. We went with her and were able to check out the weighted lap blanket we knew would help once we got seated. She then escorted us to the elevator that would take us to our seats the quickest and stayed with us until we were seated and our kiddo was able to sit and decompress with the help of the lap blanket. 

This was not our first trip to a theater to see a musical or play. We know what can happen, but this time the empathy and readiness of the staff changed our experience. My child was welcomed; they were included in the world with open arms that said, ‘Come inside, we will create the room you need.’ 

Have you heard of KultureCity? Has your museum considered their training or certification?

KultureCity partners with venues to train staff and certify them as sensory-inclusive. They also provide an app (available for Apple and Android) that lists sensory-friendly locations—an invaluable resource for families planning visits.

If your museum or historic site hasn’t yet explored what KultureCity offers, now might be the time. These small adjustments—and the awareness behind them—can make a world of difference.

Download the Is KultureCity Right for You? Mini-Toolkit for a team member’s personal experience with KultureCity as well as a guide to help you decide if KultureCity is a choice of consideration for your museum. If you want more about personal interactions with KultureCity, please reach out to them directly.

Alt Text: Watercolor illustration of large blue over-ear noise cancelation headphones centered between swirling decorative flourishes—blue and teal on the left, and purple to orange on the right.

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