A sensory-friendly museum day with modified environment, dimmed lights, and sensory bags available for visitors with autism or sensory processing needs.
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is hosting a Sensory Friendly Day on Wednesday, November 4, from 10 AM to 8 PM. It's a day specifically designed for students and families with children and adults on the autism spectrum, and the museum changes how it operates for the full day to make it easier to navigate.
Inside, the lights are dimmed and installations with sound or flashing lights are turned off. All the programming is adjusted to be suitable for visitors with sensory needs, so you can move through the galleries without the usual noise and brightness that can make a museum trip overwhelming. At the front desk, they have sensory bags you can borrow, filled with fidget toys, noise-canceling headphones, smelling sensory toys, and sunglasses.
If you like to plan ahead, there's a Social Story available that walks through what to expect during the visit, which can be a helpful way to prepare. You can also request touch tours and ASL tours, provided you put in the request at least two weeks in advance. The day is free to attend and doesn't require registration, so you can just show up when it works for you.
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The museum is at 410 Campus Center Drive in Salt Lake City, and they're open from 10 AM to 8 PM that Wednesday. If you're looking for more that day, the Natural History Museum of Utah is also running a sensory-friendly session from 3:30 PM to 9 PM.
