This Social Story aims to prepare individuals with autism for their visit to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery by letting them know what to expect.

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Social Story
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My visit to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Exterior of Birmingham Musuem & Art Gallery with column entrance and steps.

Museum entrance with steps leading to a large wooden front door.

I am going to visit the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (or “BMAG” for short).

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is a place where people can go to see a collection of objects found in nature and things that people have created.

These are photos of one of the entrances to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

Two staff members inside the building. They wear their own clothes, pink lanyards and are smiling and waving.

There are people that will help me when I am in the museum. These people are called Visitor Experience Assistants.

They wear pink lanyards.

If I have a question when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery I can talk to a Visitor Experience Assistant. It is fine to talk to them.

The outside of the lift entrance with doors open and lift inside.

There are two ways I can get into Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

This is a photo of the lift entrance next to the Gas Hall entrance. I can find the lift entrance on Edmund Street.

I can use the lift to get up to the Gas Hall and the main galleries at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

If I need help with directions, I can ask a Visitor Experience Assistant to show me.

Inside the entrance to the Gas Hall gallery with rotating glass doors.

This is a photo of the entrance coming out of the lift onto level 1 (the Gas Hall).

A welcoming wall with text that reads 'Welcome to Birmingham Museum & Art gallery', along with 8 works of art on a blue wall.

This is a photo of the entrance coming out of the lift onto level 2.

Entrance inside the museums with stairs case and columns along with ornate plasterwork walls. eading t

This is a photo of the inside if you enter from Chamberlain Square.

There are 2 flights of stairs up to the museum from this entrance.

If I need to use the lift, I can ask a Visitor Experience Assistant to show me the Gas Hall entrance.

A set of 13 wooden style lockers all different sizes.

If I want, I can leave my bag and coat in a locker, where they will be safe.

At Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery there are lockers in the Gas Hall, Wild City Gallery and outside of Wild City Gallery.

I will need to pay with a £1 coin to use these lockers. I won’t get this £1 back.

If I need help using the lockers I can ask a Visitor Experience Assistant.

A modern staircase with grey floor and glazed balustrade.

The lift with silver doors that are closed.

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery has 2 floors. I might not visit them all but that is fine. The different parts of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery are called galleries.

Usually, I will move between floors using stairs or the lifts.

Signage of a male and female outside the toilets.

Inside one of the toilets showing two cubicles and sink area.

There are toilets on every floor of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and in the exhibition spaces.

If I need the toilet, I can ask the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant to show me where they are.

A busy tearoom with ornate ceiling and lots of people at tables eating and drinking.

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is a busy place. There might be lots of other people at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery when I visit. It might be very noisy when I visit.

If there is too much noise, I can tell the person I came with or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

These are photos of the quiet room. I might come in here if it is too noisy in the galleries, but I don’t have to.

I must not leave the quiet room without the people I came with. This is so my friends know where I am, and I am safe.

If I don’t know where the people I came with are, I can ask a Visitor Experience Assistant and they will help me.

A round gallery with artworks on the walls and a statue and benches in the centre.

This is a photo of the Round Room. I might visit this gallery when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The Round Room has a lot of artworks on the walls and a statue.

There are some things I must not touch on Level 2. If I don’t know what I can or can’t touch, I can ask the people I am with or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

I won’t get in trouble if I make a mistake, but I must try and remember to ask what I can and can’t touch.

This is a photo of the shop. I might visit the shop when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The shop has lots of things that I could buy. I might not want to buy anything in the shop and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with or a Visitor Experience Assistant if I want to buy something or not.

The Industrial Gallery with displays, ornate glazed ceiling and visitors in the background.

This is a photo of the Industrial Gallery. I might visit this gallery when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The Industrial Gallery is all about Birmingham - the people, places and things made here.

If I don’t like the noise or the displays that is OK. I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

A part of the gallery with coloured chairs around the edge, floor cushions and play mats.

This is a photo of the play area in the Industrial Gallery. I might visit this area when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The play area has beanbags, wooden blocks, books and soft toys that I can use. I might not want to play in this area and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

This is a photo of the Live, Laugh, Love Birmingham display in the Industrial Gallery. I might visit this gallery when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The glass screens mean that I should not touch the display.

If I don’t know what I can or can’t touch, I can ask the people I am with or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

I won’t get in trouble if I make a mistake, but I must try and remember to ask what I can or can’t touch.

This is a photo of the stairs in the Industrial Gallery. I might visit this space when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

I can use these to go up to the upper gallery.

I might not want to visit the upper gallery and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

Singane that reads please do not cross the barrier Thank you. Along with a roped off area with Statue beyond.

This is a photo of the upper gallery in the Industrial Gallery. I might visit this space when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

If I see ropes like this or a sign like this, I should not cross the rope or try to touch the items.

If I don’t know what I can or can’t touch, I can ask the people I am with or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

This is a photo of the upper gallery in the Industrial Gallery. I might visit this space when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

If I see a wooden barrier like this one, I should not go past it or move it.

If I don’t know what I can or can’t touch, I can ask the people I am with or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

Contemporary gallery with dark walls, artwork on the walls and yellow ornate ceiling. There are visitors in this gallery.

This is a photo of the Contemporary Voices Gallery. I might visit this gallery when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The Contemporary Voices Gallery has pictures of people that were drawn by an artist called Curtis Holder. It is a little darker in this section but that is OK.

If I don’t like the noise or the displays that is OK. I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

The Pixel Gallery with video on display on the glazed window along with a glazed door.

This is a photo of the Pixel Studio. I might visit this studio when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The Pixel Studio shows videos made by artists from across the region. It is a little darker in this section and it can be loud at times.

If I don’t like the noise or the videos that is OK. I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

Wildy City gallery with benches are artworks of animals and landscapes on the wall.

This is a photo of the Wild City Gallery. I might visit this gallery when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

The Wild City Gallery is all about nature and the animals we can find in the city.

If I don’t like the noise or the displays that is OK. I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

This is a photo of the soft play area in the Wild City Gallery. I can use the soft play area if I am 8 years old or under.

I may not want to play in the soft play area and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

Small book shelf with books and soft cushions next to it. A sign reads Nature's Library.

This is a photo of the Library in the Wild City Gallery. I can sit down and read any of the books.

I may not want to read any books at the library and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

A collection on taxidermy animals in a large display case.

There are a few animals for me to look at in the Wild City Gallery. These are real animals that used to be alive but aren’t any more. They have been preserved for people to look at.

If I don’t like looking at the animals that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

This is a photo of the drawing table in the Wild City Gallery. I can draw whatever I want here.

I may not want to draw at this table and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

This is a photo of the Waterhall entrance. I might visit this gallery when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Edmund Street. I have to go outside of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery to get here.

I have to pay for a ticket to go into the Waterhall. The exhibitions in the Waterhall change regularly so there might be different objects or pictures in there each time I visit.

I may not want to go to the Waterhall and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

This is a photo of the Gas Hall entrance. I might visit this gallery when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Edmund Street.

I have to pay for a ticket to go into the Gas Hall. The exhibitions in the Gas Hall change regularly so theremight be different objects or pictures in there each time I visit.

I may not want to go to the Gas Hall and that is OK.

I can tell the people I am with, or a Visitor Experience Assistant.

Tearoom counter with food and drinks along with benches and tables.

This is a photo of the tearoom. I might visit the tearoom when I am at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. It is on Level 2.

I might sit in the tearoom to eat my lunch.

If it is too noisy for me, I can tell the people I am with, and a Visitor Experience Assistant will find me a quiet place to eat.

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