Welcoming Museum Visitors with Unapparent Disabilities, edited by Beth Redmond-Jones. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2024. 

REVIEWED BY CHLOE OLIVER

First and foremost, I would like to make it clear that I am reviewing this book as not only a museum studies student, but also as a person with multiple unapparent disabilities. I am autistic, I have a learning disability, and I have an anxiety disorder – all of these things will impact my point of view, my work, and the language I use. While Redmond-Jones uses the phrases “person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)” and “person with autism,” I will be using the phrases “autistic person” and “disabled person” in this review. I will also utilize the term “allistic” which refers to any person without autism. Many autistic people prefer “identity first” language instead of “person first” language, because we feel that autism is an intrinsic part of who we are, and the way our brains work cannot be separated from our personhood. Redmond-Jones references this in her introduction, stating that “It is best to ask each individual person which language they prefer or research the general consensus of different sectors of the disability community.” Of course, all preferences are equally significant; this is simply the language I prefer to use.

This book has four primary chapters: Autism, Post-Partum Depression, Dementia, and Coexisting Conditions. Each chapter begins with a section from Redmond-Jones with information on the associated disability, diagnostic requirements from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and suggestions as to how museum staff can consider the needs of each group and ensure their access and safety needs are met. The rest of the chapter contains stories, interviews, and articles written by museum professionals, accessibility advocates, and disabled people with the appropriate condition. This is very well thought out, as many readers may not be fully informed on each disability in the book and may not have the time or resources to seek out more information for themselves. The DSM-5 is not an easy or casual read, and online sources can often be confusing. Additionally, allowing disabled people to represent themselves is one of the most helpful things an abled person can do; the saying “nothing about us without us” still rings true.  

In this vein, I was delighted to see contributions from autistic people in the first chapter. Too often autistic adults are treated as children or not acknowledged, so it was an excellent decision to include the viewpoints of several of them. Additionally, both allistic museum professionals who contributed to this work were able to efficiently and respectfully address many of the concerns that museum staff have when taking autistic people’s needs into consideration. While sensory issues are the most common autistic accessibility problems considered by museums, they are not the only hurdles that autistic people face, and the contributors to this chapter were careful to address that as well.  

I was very interested in the inclusion of post-partum depression (PPD) in this book. While the standard form of depression is well-known and commonly brought up in discussions about mental health, PPD is often neglected. There are those who might say that this is not a disability – and indeed, on my first read of the book I was inclined to say the same – but depression in all forms is defined as a disability under the ADA because it is a “mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” It is difficult for those who have not undergone PPD to understand what it does to a person, but it can be, and is, disabling. The care put into this chapter was impressive, and each contributor demonstrates very well the ways in which they provide grieving parents and women with PPD with community, therapeutic opportunities, and understanding.  

Redmond-Jones and the contributors to the dementia chapter, Ann F. Burgunder, Michelle Kindleysides, and Yoshinori Ichihashi, go into great detail on the ways that specific museum programs and events can benefit people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. From utilizing reminiscence in specific historical locations or with historical objects to providing a consistent community for those dealing with these conditions, many museums provide support for those with dementia. This work offers perspectives on programs like these from caregivers and program designers. What it does not do is offer perspective from a person with dementia or Alzheimer’s. As with any medical condition, there may be limitations to what people with dementia can do or say, but it seems plausible that between the three different groups included in the book, there would be at least one person willing to speak with the author. While this inclusion is important and very helpful for those looking to make their museums dementia friendly, I feel that it would be beneficial to offer a viewpoint from someone with dementia, not just those who work with them.  

The final chapter of this book covers coexisting conditions, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders. While the sections are each well written and thoughtfully discussed, it seemed odd to me that all of these disorders would be combined into one chapter. The concept of “mood disorders” alone covers several different disabilities, and I believe that by putting all of these into one chapter, it may cause the reader to associate them together. While certainly a person could have both a mood disorder and an anxiety disorder, they are not inherently coexisting, and may have different necessities for accessibility. To associate them seems to be an oversight on the author’s part, and perhaps it would have been better to create a separate chapter for each. Despite this issue, the information provided is still helpful and accurate, and the anecdotes written by people with these conditions are informative.  

Overall, Welcoming Museum Visitors with Unapparent Disabilities is a well-written, mostly cohesive book that I would recommend for any museum professional trying to make their museum more accessible and disability-friendly.  

References

Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act. (2024, December 9). ADA.Gov. https://www.ada.gov/topics/intro-to-ada/ 

Chloe Oliver is a first year MA student in the IU Indianapolis Museum Studies Program.