Making Museums Inclusive for People with Autism

The Dallas Museum of Art, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille have each developed programs in recent years specifically for people with autism and other neurodiverse conditions. The three institutions, all of which are members of the FRAME (FRench American Museum Exchange) network, have combined their expertise to create a Guide for Welcoming Museum Visitors with Autism Spectrum Disorder for the museum community.

This innovative publication provides keys to understanding and tools for designing mediation activities and spaces that account for the specific needs of visitors with ASD. The recommendations and practical advice in this guide are drawn from projects by the education departments of these three members of FRAME, a network that includes 32 museums in Canada, France and the United States.

Carried out in collaboration with parents of neurodiverse children, community organizations, and educational and research communities, these activities confirm the important role that art museums play in social life.