The Cold War-era submarine Growler turned 60 in 2018 and the Museum opened a new exhibition to celebrate that milestone anniversary. Given the space constraints in the sub itself, in designing the exhibition, the museum prioritized accessibility. Museum staff invited individuals with disabilities, and their families, to experience and provide insights into interactive elements.
Focus groups represented audiences who regularly attend specialized programming and events for individuals with disabilities. Located in a structure on the pier, the new exhibition would serve as an introduction to Growler or as a standalone experience for visitors who choose to not enter the submarine. Because submarine service is so rich in sensory experiences, the Museum wanted to create multimodal exhibit elements that would immerse all visitors – regardless of ability – in these unique, incomparable aspects of sailors’ lives.
Details of that work are featured in an Intrepid bylined article entitled ACCESSIBLE INTERACTIVES: An Inclusive Process for User Testing in the spring edition of the prestigious peer-reviewed magazine EXHIBITION.
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