Bodies Museum in a Wheelchair

Rebecca and I went to the Bodies Exhibit in Atlanta. Rebecca just had foot surgery and was using crutches; however, when we arrived we asked for a wheelchair due to the length of the exhibit and luckily they had one. At first, we thought having the wheelchair would make the experience more enjoyable, when in reality, it made it more difficult.

Crowding:

            When we arrived it was extremely crowded. Each display had at least five different people looking at the exhibit. Rebecca was stepped in front of and maneuvered around and had to wait until everyone else finished to be able to see the full and complete exhibit.      

Accessibility:

            The accessibility was not easy to move through. The way the exhibit was set up was not disability friendly. Due to being in a wheelchair and maneuvering around the other visitors, it was extremely difficult to not run into someone. The pathways were not set up for someone who was wheelchair bound. Due to the inconsideration of others it made it even more difficult to get around the museum. Another discerning component to the experience was the gift shop. As long as she was in the wheelchair she could not go in. She was not able to fit into the gift shop due to the small shop, the people in the shop, and the way the shop was set up. She had to use her crutches to be able to look around the gift shop.

Adaptability:

            The people did not adapt very well to Rebecca’s disability at all. Rebecca had to adapt as best she could her surroundings. She describes it as being the “elephant in the room.” She had to maneuver around everyone else, which was hard because she was not use to the wheelchair, due to the fact the wheelchair was not her size and she was not familiar with the dynamics of maneuvering a wheelchair.

Comfort and Meaning:

            She was not comfortable at all in many different aspects. Environmentally she was not comfortable because she felt like she was in everyone’s way and they made her seem like she was. The environment itself stigmatized her because she was disabled and in a wheelchair and the people made it very obvious, from looks to whispering.

Control:

            Rebecca had no control over her space. The only territory she could claim was the wheelchair. Until people moved along she didn’t have space except for the wheelchair. Once the group of people in front of her cleared the exhibit they were looking at, she had space. That was until more people came along, then she had no space trying to move along to the next exhibit.

Privacy:

While observing Rebecca and her struggles, I noticed she never had time to herself like others who could enjoy the exhibit at their leisure and move on. There was always something going on around her. Due to the amount of time it took her to get to the exhibit, look at the exhibit, and try to move on to the next exhibit. It was more of a hassle rather than enjoyment.

Activity:

            While I observed Rebecca struggling, I was also watching the guests around her and their reactions. There was constant staring, whispering, people acting like she was invisible, and not one time did someone step aside and make it easier for her to move on to the next spot.

We were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum and we forgot to take one after we left. The first is a picture of before we left my house to start our adventure, the second is one from the Bodies Exhibit Museum's website.

Rebecca before we left:

http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/atlanta/templates/bodiesatlanta/images/bodies-2.jpg

Jennifer Fagin