Celebrating Accessibility and Inclusion: Awaken Your Senses at the award-winning Roman Army Museum on Hadrian’s Wall

Accessibility and inclusion are a fundamental part of the Vindolanda Trust, and something we have been working tirelessly on since our sites opened. Following a £2.5 million investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Vindolanda Trust in 2023, the Roman Army Museum has been able to build a bespoke, accessible, multi-functional space dedicated to an accessible and inclusive events and excavation programme.

Awaken Your Senses was launched in April 2024, as a new activity programme held at the Roman Army Museum. We were able to use state of the art technology alongside a packed activity programme enabling all visitors to engage with our Roman past.

We were one of the first museums in the UK to integrate interactive, sensory projector OMI Mobii into our event programme. With bespoke, accessible, sensory, themed games, this pioneering piece of equipment creates an inclusive experience and immersive environment that engages people of all ages and abilities.

Between April – September 2024, we have delivered 14 accessible, immersive tours into the archaeological excavations at Magna Roman Fort. Featuring an interactive map of the excavations via the OMI Mobii, this unique talk gave visitors an insight the excitement of delving into unknown archaeology as you are taken on a journey of the project so far. Over 355 visitors have joined us for this brand-new archaeological experience so far.

We are also delighted to have been working with inclusive customer service platform, Welco-Me during 2024. This booking platform provides a seamless welcome to customers with disabilities. You let us know your access needs before you visit, and ensure a warm welcome that is bespoke and catered for your specific needs.

Alongside this, we have developed brand new sensory bags for visitors to access during their visit. These have 9 items to stimulate, regulate, and provide a sensory approach to your visit at the Roman Army Museum and provide the best visit we can.

The Roman Army Museum is an all-weather, indoor, fully accessible venue on Hadrian’s Wall, to explore what life was like living on the frontier of the Roman Empire. Awaken Your Senses is part of exciting new programme to build on our multi-sensory offering, bringing an inclusive sensory experience of all visitors. This will ensure visitors with disabilities can get the most out Hadrian’s Wall and learn more about the fascinating and developing exploration into the buried history of the adjacent Magna Roman fort.