“We are about to mark the first decade of a cherished programme: Early Birds and Night Owls. It offers special access, outside opening hours, to families who need a quieter environment, especially for children with some neurodiverse conditions such as autism or with sensory challenges. We could not afford to run this programme without philanthropic support and for ten years we have enjoyed that commitment from Estelle Wolfson. Sadly, Estelle couldn’t be with us this evening but we – and many families – are hugely grateful for her support.”
This email from a mother is typical of families’ feedback on the experience:
“I came down from Oxford with my son and daughter who are autistic/ADHD and never want to do stuff together. It felt incredibly special to be in the museum after hours, and the quiet and low lights were lovely. We were blown away by the Power Up exhibition, which is the main reason I took my son (he is doing gaming at college, but otherwise never leaves the house). For a couple of hours our family got to relax and enjoy ourselves.”