What If You Couldn’t…? An Exhibit about Special Needs

Client

Boston Children’s Museum

Project description

Like Michael, the Boston Children’s Museum of the ’60s and ’70s was known for exploring what might have been considered taboo subjects at the time—especially for kids. But staff gave kids more credit. What If You Couldn’t…? was conceived by collaborator Janet Kamien as “an exhibit in which the facts, the gear and to a certain extent, the experience of disability were put into the hands of the visitors.”

In Boston Stories, Janet reflects: “Briefly, the exhibit touched upon visual impairments, hearing impairments, emotional problems, learning disabilities, developmental issues and physical disabilities. Visitors could handle a prosthetic arm or a leg brace, try out a wheelchair, use a Brailler, look through some lenses to see what 20/200 or 20/400 vision is like, learn some sign language or try some figure/foreground puzzles. Kids could learn that there is an American Sign Language sign for every letter in the alphabet, or that disabilities aren’t ‘catching.’ Parents could read that most people who are deaf can lip read, so look directly at the person you are addressing, speak clearly and don’t bother yelling, or that most people who use wheelchairs prefer to be addressed directly as well and basically treated just as you would treat anyone else.”