Eardley, A.F., Jones, V.E. and Zakaria, N.N. 2025. Unpicking ableism and disablism in museums. in: Eardley, A.F. and Jones, V.E. (ed.) The Museum Accessibility Spectrum: Re-imagining Access and Inclusion UK Routledge. pp. 11-25
| Chapter title | Unpicking ableism and disablism in museums |
|---|---|
| Authors | Eardley, A.F., Jones, V.E. and Zakaria, N.N. |
| Editors | Eardley, A.F. and Jones, V.E. |
| Abstract | Museums are increasingly focused on enhancing and supporting the museum experience for all visitors. However, it is often difficult for museum professionals to translate intention into action. Through an exploration of the historical origins of both the development of museums and the development of understanding around disability, this chapter highlights the roots of ableism and disablism, which are systemic in museum practice. It explores the ways in which these biases are intertwined with colonialism. Drawing on research from psychology, museum studies, and critical disability studies, this chapter challenges the validity of the concept of a normative museum visitor. Instead, it proposes that all should be for all. We argue that alternative models of thinking about museum experiences and museum design, which put disability and what is known about disability at their heart, would enhance the museum experience for all visitors. |
| Keywords | Museums |
| cultural heritage | |
| inclusive design | |
| anti-exclusive design | |
| Disability gain | |
| decolonization | |
| access | |
| Book title | The Museum Accessibility Spectrum: Re-imagining Access and Inclusion |
| Page range | 11-25 |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publisher | Routledge |
| Publication dates | |
| Published | 16 Jan 2025 |
| Place of publication | UK |
| Series | Museum Meanings |
| ISBN | 9781032466613 |
| 9781032466668 | |
| 9781003382713 | |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003382713 |
| Project | ‘I don’t see what you mean’: Broadening participation through co-created inclusive digital museum audio. |
| Funder | AHRC (Arts & Humanities Research Council) |
| File | License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 File Access Level Open (open metadata and files) |
| Web address (URL) | https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003382713/museum-accessibility-spectrum-alison-eardley-vanessa-jones?_gl=1*x5y7uk*_gcl_au*MTczNjIwOTQwNy4xNzM1OTk3ODk1*_ga*MTgwMDMzOTY0Ny4xNzI2ODQwMDk3*_ga_0HYE8YG0M6*MTczNzQ1ODAzNC4yOC4wLjE3Mzc0NTgwMzQuNjAuMC4w |
Instigators of change: museums as inclusive, accessible, equitable, participatory hubs
Eardley, A.F. and Jones, V.E. 2025. Instigators of change: museums as inclusive, accessible, equitable, participatory hubs. in: Eardley, A.F. and Jones, V.E. (ed.) The Museum Accessibility Spectrum: Re-imagining Access and Inclusion UK Routledge. pp. 277-286
The museum accessibility spectrum: recognising the multidimensional access needs of all museum audiences
Eardley, A.F. and Jones, V.E. 2025. The museum accessibility spectrum: recognising the multidimensional access needs of all museum audiences. in: Eardley, A.F. and Jones, V.E. (ed.) The Museum Accessibility Spectrum: Re-imagining Access and Inclusion UK Routledge. pp. 3-10
The W-ICAD model: notes for practitioners
Eardley, A.F., Bywood, L., Thompson, H., Jones, V. E. and Husbands, D. 2024. The W-ICAD model: notes for practitioners . University of Westminster. https://doi.org/10.34737/wx2yx
The W-ICAD model: Redefining museum access through the Workshop for Inclusive Co-created Audio Description
Eardley, A.F., Jones, V.E., Bywood, L., Thompson, H. and Husbands, D. 2024. The W-ICAD model: Redefining museum access through the Workshop for Inclusive Co-created Audio Description. Curator: The Museum Journal. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12649
No clear evidence of a difference between individuals who self-report an absence of auditory imagery and typical imagers on auditory imagery tasks
Pounder, Z., Eardley, A.F., Loveday, C. and Evans, D.S. 2024. No clear evidence of a difference between individuals who self-report an absence of auditory imagery and typical imagers on auditory imagery tasks. PLoS ONE. 19 (4) e0300219. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0300219
‘I felt I was right there with them’: the impact of sound-enriched audio description on experiencing and remembering artworks, for blind and sighted museum audiences
Hutchinson, R. and Eardley, A.F. 2024. ‘I felt I was right there with them’: the impact of sound-enriched audio description on experiencing and remembering artworks, for blind and sighted museum audiences. Museum Management and Curatorship. 39 (6), pp. 733-750. https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2023.2188482
Inclusion for Cultural Education in Museums, Audio and Touch Interaction
Djoussouf, Lilia, Romeo, K., Chottin, M., Thompson, H. and Eardley, Alison F. 2023. Inclusion for Cultural Education in Museums, Audio and Touch Interaction. in: Archambault, D. and Kouroupetroglou, G. (ed.) Volume 306: Assistive Technology: Shaping a Sustainable and Inclusive World IOS Press. pp. 471-477
______________________________________: Inclusive Football Commentary: Creating a Richer Experience for Audiences Who Cannot See
Bywood, L., Pedregosa Sanchez, I., Ginley, B and Eardley, A.F. 2023. ______________________________________: Inclusive Football Commentary: Creating a Richer Experience for Audiences Who Cannot See . in: Halder, S. and Squires, G. (ed.) Inclusion and Diversity: Communities, Practices, and Perspectives Abingdon Routledge.
Doctoral Colloquium—Treasure Hunt AR for Enhancing Visiting Experience in Cultural Sites
Sarker, Md Tusher, Economou, Daphne and Eardley, Alison 2022. Doctoral Colloquium—Treasure Hunt AR for Enhancing Visiting Experience in Cultural Sites. 2021 7th International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN). https://doi.org/10.23919/ilrn55037.2022.9815888
Devisualizing the Museum: from Access to Inclusion
Eardley, A.F., Thompson, H., Fineman, A., Hutchinson, R., Bywood, L. and Cock, M. 2022. Devisualizing the Museum: from Access to Inclusion. Journal of Museum Education. 47 (2), pp. 150-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/10598650.2022.2077067
Visitor studies: Interdisciplinary methods for understanding the impact of inclusive museum AD experiences
Hutchinson, R. and Eardley, A.F. 2022. Visitor studies: Interdisciplinary methods for understanding the impact of inclusive museum AD experiences. in: Taylor, C. and Perego, E. (ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Audio Description Routledge.
Only minimal differences between individuals with congenital aphantasia and those with typical imagery on neuropsychological tasks that involve imagery.
Pounder, Zoë, Jacob, Jane, Evans, Samuel, Loveday, Catherine, Eardley, Alison F. and Silvanto, Juha 2022. Only minimal differences between individuals with congenital aphantasia and those with typical imagery on neuropsychological tasks that involve imagery. Cortex. 148, pp. 180-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2021.12.010
Exploring individual differences in neuropsychological and visuospatial working memory task performance in aphantasia
Pounder, Zoe, Jacob, Jane, Eardley, Alison F., Evans, Sam, Loveday, Catherine and Silvanto, Juha 2021. Exploring individual differences in neuropsychological and visuospatial working memory task performance in aphantasia. Journal of Vision. 21 (9) 2655. https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.21.9.2655
Inclusive museum audio guides: ‘guided looking’ through audio description enhances memorability of artworks for sighted audiences
Hutchinson, R. and Eardley, A.F. 2021. Inclusive museum audio guides: ‘guided looking’ through audio description enhances memorability of artworks for sighted audiences. Museum Management and Curatorship. 36 (4), pp. 427-446. https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2021.1891563
Quantifying Aphantasia through drawing: Those without visual imagery show deficits in object but not spatial memory
Bainbridge, W. A., Pounder, Z., Eardley, A.F. and Baker, C. I. 2021. Quantifying Aphantasia through drawing: Those without visual imagery show deficits in object but not spatial memory. Cortex. 135, pp. 159-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.11.014
Can academic writing retreats function as wellbeing interventions?
Eardley, A.F., Banister, E. and Fletcher, M. 2021. Can academic writing retreats function as wellbeing interventions? Journal of Further and Higher Education. 45 (2), pp. 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2020.1744542
Remembering Cultural Experiences: lifespan distributions, richness and content of autobiographical memories of museum visits
Hutchinson, R., Loveday, C. and Eardley, A.F. 2020. Remembering Cultural Experiences: lifespan distributions, richness and content of autobiographical memories of museum visits. Memory. 28 (8), pp. 1024-1036. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2020.1811874
The accessible museum: towards an understanding of international museum audio description practices
Hutchinson, R. and Eardley, A.F. 2020. The accessible museum: towards an understanding of international museum audio description practices. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 114 (6), pp. 475-487. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X20971958
Museum Audio Description: The Problem of Textual Fidelity
Hutchinson, R. and Eardley, A.F. 2019. Museum Audio Description: The Problem of Textual Fidelity. Perspectives: Studies in Translation Theory and Practice. 27 (1), pp. 42-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2018.1473451
Hands-on, Shoes-off: Multisensory Tools Enhance Family Engagement Within an Art Museum
Eardley, A.F., Dobbin, C., Neves, J. and Ride, P. 2018. Hands-on, Shoes-off: Multisensory Tools Enhance Family Engagement Within an Art Museum. Visitor Studies. 21 (1), pp. 79-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/10645578.2018.1503873
Sensory dominance and multisensory integration as screening tools in aging
Murray, M.M., Eardley, A.F., Edington, T., Oyekan, R., Smyth, E. and Matusz, P.J. 2018. Sensory dominance and multisensory integration as screening tools in aging. Scientific Reports. 8, p. 8901 8901. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-27288-2
Enriched Audio Description: Working towards an inclusive museum experience
Eardley, A.F., Fryer, L., Hutchinson, R., Cock, M., Ride, P. and Neves, J. 2017. Enriched Audio Description: Working towards an inclusive museum experience. in: Halder, S. and Czop Assaf, L. (ed.) Inclusion, Disability and Culture: An Ethnographic Perspective Traversing Abilities and Challenges Springer.
Related but different: Examining pseudoneglect in audition, touch and vision
Eardley, A.F., Darling, S., Dumper, P., Browne, D. and Van Velzen, J. 2017. Related but different: Examining pseudoneglect in audition, touch and vision. Brain and Cognition. 113, p. 164–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2017.01.011
Ektashif - Art through the Senses: Families shaping museum programming in Qatar
Dobbin, C., Eardley, A.F. and Neves, J. 2016. Ektashif - Art through the Senses: Families shaping museum programming in Qatar. Multaqa: Professional Journal of the Gulf Museum Educators Network. 2, pp. 11-19.
Allocentric spatial performance higher in early-blind and sighted adults than in retinopathy-of-prematurity adults
Eardley, A.F., Edwards, G., Malouin, F. and Kennedy, J. 2016. Allocentric spatial performance higher in early-blind and sighted adults than in retinopathy-of-prematurity adults. Perception. 45 (3), pp. 281-299. https://doi.org/10.1177/0301006615607157
Redefining Access: Embracing multimodality, memorability and shared experience in Museums
Eardley, A.F., Mineiro, C., Neves, J. and Ride, P. 2016. Redefining Access: Embracing multimodality, memorability and shared experience in Museums. Curator: The Museum Journal. 59 (3), pp. 263-286. https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12163
Relationship between post-awakening salivary cortisol and melatonin secretion in healthy participants
Ramachandran, N., Smyth, N., Thorn, L., Eardley, A.F., Evans, P. and Clow, A. 2016. Relationship between post-awakening salivary cortisol and melatonin secretion in healthy participants. Stress. 19 (2), pp. 260-263. https://doi.org/10.3109/10253890.2016.1146671
Post awakening cortisol and melatonin secretion are not related
Ramachandran, N., Smyth, N., Thorn, L., Eardley, A.F., Evans, P. and Clow, A. 2015. Post awakening cortisol and melatonin secretion are not related. Psychoneuroendocrinology. (61), p. 65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.07.568
Individual differences and personality correlates of navigational performance in the virtual route learning task
Walkowiak, S., Foulsham, T. and Eardley, A.F. 2015. Individual differences and personality correlates of navigational performance in the virtual route learning task. Computers in Human Behavior. 45, p. 402–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.041
Sensory imagery in individuals who are blind and sighted: examining unimodal and multimodal forms
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2014. Sensory imagery in individuals who are blind and sighted: examining unimodal and multimodal forms. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 108 (4), p. 323.
Event-related potential evidence for the use of external coordinates in the preparation of tactile attention by the early blind
Eardley, A.F. and Van Velzen, J. 2011. Event-related potential evidence for the use of external coordinates in the preparation of tactile attention by the early blind. European Journal of Neuroscience. 33 (10), pp. 1897-1907. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07672.x
Exploring the impact of sucking sweets on flavour imagery
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2011. Exploring the impact of sucking sweets on flavour imagery. Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 23 (7), pp. 811-817. https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2011.572872
Do ERP components triggered during attentional orienting represent supramodal attentional control?
Seiss, E., Gherri, E., Eardley, A.F. and Eimer, M. 2007. Do ERP components triggered during attentional orienting represent supramodal attentional control? Psychophysiology. 44 (6), pp. 987-990. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00591.x
Altered tactile spatial attention in the early blind
Forster, B., Eardley, A.F. and Eimer, M. 2007. Altered tactile spatial attention in the early blind. Brain Research. 1131, pp. 149-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2006.11.004
Spatial processing, mental imagery, and creativity in individuals with and without sight
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2007. Spatial processing, mental imagery, and creativity in individuals with and without sight. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 19 (1), pp. 37-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/09541440600591965
Remembering the past and imagining the future: A role for nonvisual imagery in the everyday cognition of blind and sighted people
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2006. Remembering the past and imagining the future: A role for nonvisual imagery in the everyday cognition of blind and sighted people. Memory. 14 (8), pp. 925-936. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658210600859582
Assistive navigational devices that incorporate principles of spatial cognition and imagery
Edwards, G., Eardley, A.F., Malouin, F., Viger, M., Yaagoubi, R. and Lambiel, D. 2006. Assistive navigational devices that incorporate principles of spatial cognition and imagery. Cognitive Processing. 7 (Supplement 1), p. 174. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-006-0132-0
Challenging the importance of vision for the development of an extrinsic spatial framework: evidence from the blind and sighted
Eardley, A.F., Edwards, G., Malouin, F. and Michon, P.E. 2006. Challenging the importance of vision for the development of an extrinsic spatial framework: evidence from the blind and sighted. Cognitive Processing. 7 (Supplement 1), pp. 30-31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-006-0053-y
Art beyond sight: multimodal approaches to learning
Eardley, A.F. 2006. Art beyond sight: multimodal approaches to learning. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 100 (5), pp. 311-313.
Shifts of attention in the early blind: An ERP study of attentional control processes in the absence of visual spatial information
Van Velzen, J., Eardley, A.F., Forster, B. and Eimer, M. 2006. Shifts of attention in the early blind: An ERP study of attentional control processes in the absence of visual spatial information. Neuropsychologia. 44 (12), pp. 2533-2546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.03.025
Do mental maps have to be seen? Evidence from the blind and sighted
Eardley, A.F., Michon, P.E., Edwards, G. and Kennedy, J.M. 2006. Do mental maps have to be seen? Evidence from the blind and sighted. 47th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society. Houston, Texas 16 -19 Nov 2006
Illuminating non-visual imagery: exploring the everyday use of sensory imagery in the blind and sighted
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2005. Illuminating non-visual imagery: exploring the everyday use of sensory imagery in the blind and sighted. Xth European Workshop on Imagery and Cognition. St Andrews, Scotland 28 - 30 Jun 2005
Creative discoveries in mental imagery: the role of spatial processing in individuals with and without sight
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2004. Creative discoveries in mental imagery: the role of spatial processing in individuals with and without sight. in: Ballesteros, S. and Heller, M.A. (ed.) Touch, blindness and neuroscience Madrid, Spain IUED.
Cognitive styles and their implications for effective presentation of information for children with visual impairment
Pring, L. and Eardley, A.F. 2003. Cognitive styles and their implications for effective presentation of information for children with visual impairment. in: Axel, E.S. and Levent, N.S. (ed.) Art beyond sight: a resource guide to art, creativity, and visual impairment New York, USA AFB Press.
Imagining things you have never seen: imagery effects in individuals born totally blind
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2002. Imagining things you have never seen: imagery effects in individuals born totally blind. Proceedings of The British Psychological Society. 10 (2), p. 64.
Imagining things you’ve never seen: imagery effects in individuals born totally blind
Eardley, A.F. and Pring, L. 2002. Imagining things you’ve never seen: imagery effects in individuals born totally blind. Kitzinger Workshop. May 2002
Imagery and people with a visual impairment
Eardley, A.F. 2000. Imagery and people with a visual impairment. European Science Foundation workshop on museum learning and tactile perception: access to interpretation for people who are blind and partially sighted. Helsinki, Finland Nov 2000
Schizotypy and sensational interests
Evans, J., Eardley, A.F. and Egan, V. 1999. Schizotypy and sensational interests. IXth Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences. Vancouver 05 - 09 Jul 1999
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