GLAM Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums - 'Find your Wings'

The GLAM sector is open to people of all abilities, all ages, all interests. Galleries, libraries, archives and museums are stimulating, welcoming, and accessible as therapy spaces. The environment encourages exploration, and hands-on-learning. Participants choose their own interest areas and ways of engaging actively. Adam and Russell below, choose to pat a baby T-Rex. The experience evokes imaginative conversations and sharing ideas. The sensations are new and encourage our creative thinking as we play and move out or our comfort zone.


Image 1: Russell and Adam pat a baby T-Rex by seamusmccauley is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Libraries can stimulate storytelling and evoke imagination as we find our wings to read and write. We can grow by thinking about new concepts and ideas. We enter new time periods, by reading about history, the present and the future. We encounter diverse cultural knowledge and traditions through reading and listening to stories.

        Image 2: Reading outside, enjoying a library book in a tree.

Image 3: Some books are selected to support social-emotional learning at key stages of development, such as helping a child learn about telling the truth. Social stories can be devised by therapists to help reduce children's anxiety.


Occupational Therapy has its origin in creative arts, and active learning--beginning in mental health establishments and rehabilitation wards of hospitals. Pioneering new environments for therapy, allows participants to be included: solving complex problems; adapting to health conditions and disabilities; collaborating creatively, and engaging in community cultural experiences with others. 

New technologies are available in libraries, museums and galleries. This is helpful for exploring and trying new devices such as 3-D printers, and/or learning to use reading machines for the blind. Therapists are involved as curators of 'Sensory Experiences' that are tailored to individual needs of autistic people, and those who prefer lower or higher levels of stimulation (quieter, less busy environments, or bright colourful displays and lighting). Tools such as LEGO can be helpful for fine motor development. Music-making allows design of chosen sound environments.

I am excited by the opportunities that Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums provide for therapy and active learning. I encourage therapists to get involved in these emerging areas of therapy practice. Multi-disciplinary approaches are helpful across borders--meeting new challenges and overcoming obstacles we face. If you are interested, please contact me to discuss further on mobile 0488 624 362.

Sandra Kirkwood B.Occ.Thy, B.Music, M.Phil, Grad Cert Education (Digital Learning & Leadership)

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