State Museum announces “Disability Celebration Day” event on March 9

COLUMBIA — The South Carolina State Museum is excited to announce the return of its Disability Celebration Day event, celebrating the 1.1 million adults and nearly 250,000 children living with a disability in South Carolina, on March 9. Guests of all ages and abilities are invited to visit the museum and get creative with disability-adapted activities and sensory-friendly experiences.

“We are thrilled to celebrate with this community as we work to ensure our State Museum is accessible to all South Carolinians,” says Amy Bartow-Melia, Executive Director. “Through programs such as Disability Celebration Day our monthly Accessibility Mornings, upgrading our facilities so they are ADA compliant, and providing accessibility resources to our guests, the State Museum is actively working to be more equitable and accessible.”

During Disability Celebration Day, guests have a special opportunity to ‘make their mark’ by joining in a ZotArtz Community Art Creation. Using adaptive art tools, such as stamping tools and paint rollers on wheelchairs, each participant will paint on a large floor mural and make individual poster sized paintings to take home. In addition, an outdoor art area, new to this year’s event, will allow guests to get creative with bubbles and squirt art.

Guests are also invited to enjoy a Silent Disco with lights and sound via headphones, provided by The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, explore hands-on history stations and tactile materials from NASA, learn how to make a mini-adaptive book with USC Assistive Technology Services and more. Sensory-friendly planetarium and 4D shows will also be offered with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, sponsored by Colonial Life, provided by certified interpreters from the SC School for the Deaf and Blind. A full list of activities can be found on the museum’s website, scmuseum.org. This project is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Disability Celebration Day attendance and activities are free for participants, with the exception of planetarium and 4D theater shows which are $5 each. Online pre-registration is encouraged, but walk-up participation the day of the event is also welcome. Many activities and shows are capacity limited so pre-registration is encouraged to ensure we can best accommodate all participants.

Program Schedule

9 – 11 a.m. | Sensory Hours

Sounds in the museum turned off for a more sensory-friendly exploration experience.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | ZotArtz Community Art Creation

Get creative with accessible art tools, including art rollers will also attach to wheelchairs and stamping tools which give everyone the opportunity to make art.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Silent Disco

Enjoy this fun space that includes music via headphones so you can party and dance to the music at your own pace and volume!

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Hands-on Stations

Get up close with an astronomy touch zone in the observatory and hands-on artifact stations in the museum galleries.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Astronomy Sonification

Hear what space looks like as our astronomers discuss how NASA has encoded information about stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects with sound.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Mini-exhibition from AbleSC

Learn more about celebrating Disability Pride and Disability Rights in South Carolina.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m | Adaptive Book Activity

Learn how to make a mini-adaptive book with USC Assistive Technology Services! Books are limited but please feel free to bring your own from home as well.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m | Meet our Community Resource Partners

Learn more about local accessibility focused groups and organizations.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Sensory Room

Take a break in this dedicated quiet space with a variety of tools for guests during their visit.

10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. | DC League of Super-Pets: 4D Experience (ASL)

Enjoy this immersive show in the museum’s 4D theater. Note: shows carry an additional fee of $5 per show.

1 p.m. | Mars 1001 (ASL)

Enjoy this exciting show in the museum’s planetarium. Note: shows carry an additional fee of $5 per show.