Exceeding Expectations: Creating Inclusive Museums, Zoos & Aquariums

Webinar Description

As the landscape of guest expectations shifts towards a more personalized and inclusive approach, discover how your museum, zoo or aquarium can take accessibility to the next level and build onto existing programs to increase satisfaction and boost ROI. Increasingly, guests prefer locations that cater to a wide variety of needs, including those beyond visible or apparent disabilities. This discussion is crafted to highlight the crucial impact of accessibility in elevating the museum, zoo and aquarium experience, especially for autistic, sensory-sensitive, and neurodiverse individuals.

Diving into the way accessibility measures not only enhance visitor satisfaction, but also attract new audiences, we will present a tapestry of real-life success stories, industry-expert advice, and actionable solutions. This webinar will offer insights into best practices alongside practical application and real-world examples through case studies, peer insights, and statistical data.

This thought-provoking webinar is intended for owners, managers, and enthusiasts to take steps towards growing, expanding, and building onto accessibility programs at museums, zoos and aquariums worldwide. Learn how to make informed choices that encourage repeat visits and invite autistic, neurodiverse and sensory-sensitive guests, along with their families, to explore in meaningful ways. We will provide adaptable frameworks for museums, zoos, and aquariums, regardless of operation scale, that can be customized and tailored to enhance the guest experience for every visitor. 

Learning Objectives

• Attendees will be able to identify best practices, programs, and tools to both empower staff and best welcome and accommodate guests with diverse needs.
• Attendees will be able to explore how expanding on accessible and inclusive measures will help engage visitors and increase guest satisfaction.
• Attendees will be able to implement further accessibility measures and programs into their museums, zoos and aquariums, enhancing programs already in place.

Speakers

• Elisa Escobar, Sr. Manager of Guest Experience, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
• Matti Wallin, Accessibility Programs Manager, Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Meredith Tekin, President, IBCCES
• Monai Rooney, Senior Manager, Development & Culture, B Morrow Productions

Details

 CEUs: 1.0

 Session Time: 60 minutes

 Language: American English

 Key Features: Recording of live presentation on 1/14/2026