Social Stories
These social stories are for adults and teachers visiting the museum with autistic and neurodiverse children.
The Autism friendly museum
Written for children in consultation with AMAZE, the stories have photographs to show children what they'll encounter during a visit to Melbourne Museum. You can read them online as a webpage, or you can download a Word document to print out. You can also cut and paste the stories to create a story that best suits your child.
Sensory Bags
If you have sensory sensitivities or are feeling overwhelmed during your visit, you can borrow a free sensory bag. The bags contain:
- Noise reduction earmuffs
- Fidget tools
- A communication card
Sensory bags can be borrowed from the admissions desk located in the entrance foyer and returned to the same location at the end of your visit.
Social Story for a family visit to the Creative Lab
Use this social story to plan a visit the Creative Lab. Download the pdf to print or create your own.
Social Story for a family visit to the Royal Exhibition Building
Use this social story to plan a visit the Royal Exhibition Builing. Download the pdf to print or create your own.
Family visits to Gandel Gondwana Garden
Use this social story to plan a visit to Gandel Gondwana Garden. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
Family visits with young children
Use this social story to plan a visit to Melbourne Museum with young children. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
Family visits with older children
Use this social story to plan a visit to Melbourne Museum with older children. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
Family visits to the Children's Gallery
Use this social story to plan a visit to the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery at Melbourne Museum. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
Family visits to Triceratops
Use this social story to plan a visit to the Triceratops exhibition at Melbourne Museum. Read it online or download the Word to PDF document to print or create your own.
School group visits
Use this social story to plan a school visit to Melbourne Museum with autistic and neurodiverse children. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
School group visits to Road to Zero
At the Road to Zero learning centre school groups explore and learn all about road safety.
Use this social story to plan a school visit to Road to Zero. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
Road to Zero visits to regional school groups
The Road to Zero Regional In-School Program brings road safety education programs to schools across rural and regional Victoria.
Use this social story to prepare your students for a visit to your school. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
Outreach program visits to kindergarten groups
Our traveling ‘museum in a van’ program brings museum learning activities to 4-year-old kindergarten groups all over metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
We have developed a social story for teachers with autistic and neurodiverse children. Read it online or download the Word document to print or create your own.
Map of high and low sensory spaces
The museum can be a confronting place for sensitive visitors. Use our map of high and low sensory spaces to plan a visit to suit your child.
Low sensory spaces, coloured blue on the map, are quiet areas that are bright, have few people and no multimedia. High sensory spaces, indicated in red, are busy places with a mix of multimedia, loud noises and/or low light.
You can borrow a laminated copy of the map from the ticketing desk or you can download your own.
Quiet times
Melbourne Museum tends to be quieter between 3pm and 5pm on weekdays during term time.
Avoid queues
To minimise the time your family spends in a queue, we suggest that you buy tickets online before you visit. Present your printed or digital tickets at the prepurchase queue entry point for quick entry.
Low Sensory Sessions
On the first Saturday of every month, Melbourne Museum offers low sensory sessions for visitor who experience sensory sensitivity. Loud sound effects and music will be muted, and bright or flashing lights will be dimmed in all galleries included with museum entry. Find out more and book tickets
Feedback
We'd love to hear what you think about these social stories and whether they are helpful to you. Drop us a line on [email protected].