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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 JANUARY 2022 5 CULTURE Autism-friendly measures introduced at two Heritage Malta museums THE National Museum of Archaeology and the Nation- al Museum of Natural Histo- ry are the first two museums in Heritage Malta's portfolio to introduce autism-friendly measures. The initiative was announced by youth work- er organisation 'Prisms' at a press conference at the Na- tional Museum of Archaeolo- gy. The measures include an af- ternoon every week during which the museums will be transformed into more friend- ly spaces for people on the au- tism spectrum, through softer lighting, the lowering of au- dio volumes, different access routes and trained staff. In addition, visits to both museums are now facilitat- ed by visual social stories and sensory maps available on Heritage Malta's website. The maps highlight areas of the museums which might prove to be sensorily overwhelming to people on the autism spec- trum, due to bright lights, loud audio, glass floors or chemical smells. The quiet room, which is a space where visitors may retreat in case of sensory over- load, is also highlighted. The visual stories provide people on the autism spec- trum with a preview of what they would be experiencing in the museum, thus creating a sense of familiarity prior to the actual visit. Through nu- merous photographs, social stories also provide visual de- tails that ease the visit further, such as the location of lockers and restrooms, as well as ac- cessibility. In its commitment towards increased accessibility for all sectors of society, Heritage Malta plans to introduce au- tism-friendly measures in oth- er museums and sites. More information regarding the cur- rent measures may be obtained via email on education@herit- agemalta.org The measures include an afternoon every week during which the museums will be transformed into more friendly spaces for people on the autism spectrum, through softer lighting, the lowering of audio volumes, different access routes and trained staff