During Sensory Friendly Hours, the Ella Sharp Museum will open its galleries at 9am, an hour before the museum opens to the public. Families with members who are neurodiverse, autistic, have other sensory processing disorders or cognitive disabilities are welcome to visit the museum for a quieter experience in a more controlled environment. Designated quiet zones will allow visitors to decompress and experience the museum at their own pace.

Prior to each program, families are invited to browse our “pre-visit” materials to help them prepare for their visit including social narratives and maps of our facility. These pre-visit materials are also available to help families plan for visits that take place outside of program hours and a sensory backpack is available at the front desk for use.

To provide the most sensory-friendly environment possible, we will limit the capacity for these special times to 50 people.

Cost: Adults, $10, Children up to 17: $5, Children Under 5: Free.

Ella Sharp is also part of the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association and ASTC (Association of Science and Technology Centers) Passport Program. If you have a membership to any museum associated with the programs you may have free admission to the museum.