National Inclusion Database

In 2021, our team began exploring how museums communicate about neuroinclusion on their websites.

We examined how museums support autistic visitors, families, and other visitors with sensory and access needs, with particular attention to what museums communicate before a visit ever begins. We know many autistic people and families use museum websites as a first step in deciding whether a visit will feel welcoming, predictable, and manageable, so the study focused on what information museums made publicly available online.

We reviewed museum websites to identify accommodations, programs, events, visitor guides, sensory tools, access hours, quiet spaces, staff supports, and other practices that help create more inclusive museum experiences. This work helped the NILN team see where museums had already embedded inclusion into everyday visitor experiences and where supports remained limited, separate, or difficult to find. By documenting these practices, the inventory continues to inform the NILN project and created a practical resource for museums, zoos, and community programmers working to expand autism-inclusive learning opportunities in thoughtful, sustainable ways.