Understanding Neurodiversity in Museums: Insights from Dr. Justine Reilly

At a recent MuseumNext Summit, Dr. Justine Reilly, Director of Sporting Heritage and The Neurodiverse Museum, delivered a compelling presentation on neurodiversity and its implications for the museum sector. Her talk, titled “What if We Looked at Museums and Neurodiversity Differently?”, provided a roadmap for how museums can better understand and support neurodivergent audiences and professionals.

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity refers to the natural diversity of human brains. While many people’s brains function in ways considered “neurotypical,” others experience different patterns of thinking, learning, and perceiving the world. These differences, termed neurodivergence, include conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. Dr. Reilly emphasised that neurodivergent individuals are often required to adapt to environments designed for neurotypical people, leading to significant challenges.

Traditionally, neurodivergence has been framed within a clinical deficit model, focusing on what is “wrong” with individuals. Dr. Reilly advocates for a shift to a social model of disability, which highlights how barriers in society and institutions disable individuals. This paradigm recognises neurodivergence as a natural variation and seeks to create environments that are equitable and accessible for all.

Why Should Museums Prioritise Neurodiversity?

Dr. Reilly outlined three core reasons why museums need to address neurodiversity:

1. Moral Imperative: As cultural institutions, museums have a responsibility to reflect and serve the full spectrum of human experiences, including those of neurodivergent individuals.
2. Legal Obligation: The Equality Act 2010 mandates that organisations, including museums, make reasonable adjustments to ensure equitable access for disabled individuals. Many neurodivergent people fall under this category.
3. Sectoral Growth: Neurodivergent professionals bring unique perspectives and skills, such as analytical thinking and creative problem-solving. By excluding these voices, the museum sector limits its own potential.

Common Barriers in Museums

Dr. Reilly highlighted several barriers neurodivergent individuals face in museums:

• Physical and Sensory Overload: Many museum spaces are designed without consideration for sensory sensitivities, making them overwhelming for neurodivergent visitors.
• Lack of Representation: Neurodivergent stories and contributions are often absent from museum narratives.
• Workforce Challenges: Neurodivergent professionals face significant obstacles in gaining and maintaining employment in the sector, often due to a lack of understanding and support.

Practical Steps for Change

The Neurodiverse Museum has been pioneering initiatives to address these challenges. Dr. Reilly shared insights from a pilot programme funded by the Art Fund, which involved partnerships with the World Golf Museum, Leeds Museums & Galleries, and Strathmore College. The programme focused on placing neurodivergent voices at the centre of museum activities. Key outcomes included:

• Establishing baseline research on neurodivergence in museums.
• Developing training programmes to build confidence and understanding among museum staff.
• Creating equitable and accessible environments informed by neurodivergent individuals.

Dr. Reilly also discussed the Museums and Neurodiversity Network, which provides a platform for sharing best practices and resources. The network is currently working on a set of principles for museums to adopt, ensuring a consistent and inclusive approach across the sector.

Moving Beyond Awareness to Action

Dr. Reilly stressed the importance of moving beyond raising awareness to fostering meaningful engagement with neurodivergent communities. This involves:

1. Provision: Designing programmes and spaces that reflect the needs and preferences of neurodivergent audiences.
2. Representation: Including neurodivergent voices in exhibitions, narratives, and decision-making processes.
3. Workforce Equity: Ensuring neurodivergent individuals have equitable access to roles within museums and are supported once in post.

Dr. Reilly’s three areas of action give museums a useful way to examine whether their efforts connect. A programme may make a visit easier, but questions remain about whose stories appear in the galleries and who has a voice in the workplace. The pilot described here brought neurodivergent perspectives together with staff training and baseline research. For another institution, that suggests looking across visitor provision, interpretation and employment together, with neurodivergent people involved in shaping the questions as well as responding to proposed changes.

The discussion of neurodivergent workforce access explores the employment side of this work in more detail.

The Way Forward

Museums have an opportunity to lead the way in championing neurodiversity, both as cultural institutions and workplaces. By embracing neurodivergent voices and perspectives, the sector can become more innovative, equitable, and reflective of the communities it serves.

Dr. Reilly’s call to action is clear: “What if we looked at neurodivergence differently?” The answer lies in creating museums that are not only accessible but driven by the insights and leadership of neurodivergent individuals.

For more information on The Neurodiverse Museum and its initiatives, visit theneurodiversemuseum.org.uk.