Plastic Fantastic? access information

This section details specific access information for the Plastic Fantastic? exhibition at Wakefield Museum.

Moving around Plastic Fantastic?

The Plastic Fantastic? exhibition is fully level access. It is wheelchair and pushchair accessible. The main exhibition space is in a rectangular room with nothing in the centre.

The exhibition is in the special exhibition gallery. When a special exhibition is running, the double doors to that gallery will be open. You can also access this space from the Front Room gallery through a single door. This will be open all of the time.

There is a waist-height solid barrier attached to three of the main walls around the exhibition space. This protrudes around 10 cm from the main wall. There is also a waist-height barrier in front of the open display area. There is a gap under the barrier, with a rope halfway up to prevent children entering the open display area.

There are display cases attached to the three main walls around the gallery. These protrude 12 cm from the wall. They are positioned above the barrier at various heights.

There is also an interactives area just outside the main exhibition room. Activities are attached to the walls, and on a free-standing waist height desk nearby.

You can download a sensory map of the Plastic Fantastic exhibition.

Seating

There are portable stools at the entrance to the Plastic Fantastic? special exhibition gallery. These can be used anywhere in the museum.

Lighting levels

There are low lighting levels in the Plastic Fantastic? exhibition gallery. This is to protect the objects on display from light over-exposure.

Audio elements and subtitling

There is a large audio-visual screen in the Plastic Fantastic? exhibition. This will play a video exploring how domestic waste is recycled in the Wakefield district. The video auto-plays on a loop. The video is subtitled in English. British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation of the video will be coming soon. The audio plays through headphones, which are attached to the screen. If you would like the volume turning up or down, please ask a member of staff. The video lasts around 3 minutes. A faint bit of the audio bleeds into the main gallery from the headphones when it is playing.

There is a gentle ambient humming in the exhibition space from the air conditioning when this is on.

Audio description

There is an audio description guide to accompany the Plastic Fantastic? exhibition. The guide is accessed by scanning the QR code on the panel at the entrance to exhibition. You can preload it here or listen to it from home.

Hands-on elements

In the Plastic Fantastic? exhibition there are five mini replica objects of some of the key objects on display. These are fixed to the waist-height barriers that go around the main exhibition space. You can touch these.

In the interactive area just outside the main exhibition space there are three activities to try.

• The first activity is about separating plastics using different liquids. You can turn the three bottles attached to the wall to mix up the plastics and liquid.   

• The second activity is a timeline and facts activity. Match the facts to when they happened in the past on the timeline. You can find the answers around the main gallery, or ask a member of staff for help.

• The third activity is a plastic sorting activity. Work out which of the six types of plastic each object is and place it in the matching basket.

Mirrors and reflections

There is a mirror as part of the mid-century dressing table display in the open display area.

The glass display cases on the walls can have a slight reflection depending on where you are stood. The objects on the walls can also cast a slight shadow below them on the wall.

Makaton

There is a Makaton booklet on a hook just outside the main exhibition space. Inside are a selection of Makaton signs relating to what is in the exhibition. You can take this with you around the galleries. Please put it back when you are finished.

Polish translation – tłumaczenie na język polski

We have a Polish translation of the Plastic Fantastic? exhibition.

It is in the leaflet holder on the wall to the left-hand side of the exhibition entrance.

You can pick it up and take it around the gallery with you.

Urdu translation – اردو میں ترجمہ

We have an Urdu translation of the Plastic Fantastic? exhibition.

It is in the leaflet holder on the wall to the left-hand side of the exhibition entrance.

You can pick it up and take it around the gallery with you.

Full access information for Wakefield Museum