![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.0in" height="3.3694444444444445in"}

**National Park Service**

**Harpers Ferry Center**

**Harpers Ferry, WV**

**June 2008**

**Exhibit Accessibility Evaluation Conducted By:**

**Anita T. Smith**

**Cynthia Coffelt**

**[Exhibit Areas Evaluated:]{.underline}**

Overall Exhibit Facility

Orientation/Signage

Exhibit 1 - First Families

Exhibit 2 - Symbol and Image

Exhibit 3 - White House Architecture

Exhibit 4 - White House Interiors

Exhibit 5 - Working White House

Exhibit 6 - Ceremonies and Celebrities

These numbered exhibit areas are based on the original design layout of
thematic areas. See the attached pdf file of the floor plan drawing,
\"WHHO VC floor plan.pdf\".

**[Current Problems to Address:]{.underline}**

**1.** [INADEQUATE TYPE SIZE FOR EXHIBIT LABEL TEXT]{.underline}:

The attached White House Accessibility Evaluation Summary in a table
format provides more detail on the individual criteria as applied to
each exhibit area as they were evaluated, and many of the comments
relate to the type size of the exhibit label text. The original exhibits
were designed well over 15 years ago, and awareness of the need for
increases in exhibit point sizes has changed greatly in the NPS since
that time. As a rule of thumb, no text in an exhibit should be smaller
than 24 point, and then it should only be acceptable at that size if the
visitor can approach it closely, a person in a wheelchair can also read
it comfortably, it is well-lit, and the contrast between background
color and type color is high. In the White House Visitor Center
exhibits, many of the exhibit labels are less than 24 points. Some that
are at or above this size are still not accessible because of lack of
adequate lighting or contrast with the background, or both (Example: the
labels on the wood grain plaques.) For the most part, the original
designers did a good job of keeping the text and background in
combinations of a high contrast: black type on white, white type on
black, black type on light gray, white type on dark blue, for example.
However, many labels need to be changed to large type sizes.

[Recommendation]{.underline}:

As backlit panels are replaced to update images with new ones reflecting
the new presidential administration, this is a good time to change the
type of the same panels as well. Any photo captions on these panels need
to be at least 24 point. If there is not room, choices need to be made
about editing the text or moving text elsewhere on the layout.

For front-lit exhibit panels, such as the White House Architecture
exhibit area, new labels could be printed from digital high pressure
laminate (DHPL) which matches the original background color and applied
on top of the originals. Perhaps this kind of retrofit could be a
work-in-progress which could be done as funds are available. Artifact
case labels which are too small could be less costly inkjet prints
mounted on a conservation-approved substrate, such as cast acrylic.

The wood grain panels next to each main exhibit area are too hard to
read. A new panel made of DHPL matching the background color of the
other front-lit exhibits, with black text, could be sized to fit the
front of these existing panels, so that the wooden beveled edged still
shows and makes a decorative frame for it. We would also recommending
re-evaluating the label copy of these panels to provide a more concise,
easy-to-understand introductory statement to each exhibit area.

**2.** [VISITOR ORIENTATION:]{.underline}

The changes to security procedures to the visitor center operations
since Sept. 11, 2001 has altered traffic flow into the entrance and made
the orientation area as originally envisaged unworkable. The visitor
center needs to re-configure the orientation aspect of its
interpretation and relocate it beyond the entrance/security screening
area. The original orientation map is a layout of the visitor center
room, which became out-of-date with operational alterations to the space
which have happened since then. The security area, the multipurpose area
enclosed with curtains adjacent to the entrance to the restrooms, the
folding tables and chairs set up for a \"Kid\'s Corner\" are all later
additions/changes to the facility.

[Recommendation]{.underline}:

The visitor center needs new orientation panels to reflect current
conditions. They need to be generated as digital layouts that can be
updated and reproduced again with changes in the future as the need for
updates arises.

People who cannot see need a tactile, raised line version of the
orientation panel, perhaps along with a brief audio program. Considering
the realities of trying to keep the tactile version of updated as often
as the visual version, perhaps a solution would be to include less
detail on the tactile version, and provide the deleted information
verbally on the audio program, which might be easier to change. The
tactile panels and audio program should be incorporated with the other
exhibits as much as possible and would be for the use of all visitors
who want to use them.

The location of the orientation panels needs to change from where they
are now. They need to move further away from the security screening
area, because as people exit the metal detector, they are in a small,
crowded landing which tends to encourage people to proceed with exiting
on either side instead of examining the graphic panels placed here. The
placement of orientation information needs to be placed where it matches
the actual visitor flow as it now exists, and it needs to catch the
visitors attention as they leave the security screening at either side.
The content of the orientation panels needs to be thought through again
as well. As one enters the building, you see a large, cavernous,
somewhat confusing space, and it might help to have some more
information up-front to make sense of it all.

**3.** [CHILDREN:]{.underline}

The exhibits do not provide adequate interpretation which engages
children. The interpretation as originally conceived is not at a reading
level appropriate for children and none of it is interactive. Though
unsophisticated, the band-aid solution has been the addition by the park
of a \"Kid\'s Corners\", consisting of folding tables, chairs, racks
holding appropriate reading materials and large wooden puzzles. Although
basic and low-tech, this appeared to be a popular area, and it shows
that the need was recognized and ingenuity and resourcefulness was used
to try to address this problem.

[Recommendation]{.underline}:

Any new media added to enhance or replace the existing exhibits should
fill in the lack of interpretive media that engages and is beneficial to
visitors who are children. This means making the reading level more
age-appropriate for children, and making the exhibits more
multi-sensory, with tactile, interactive, and multi-media elements
included.

**4.** [TACTILE EXHIBITS:]{.underline}

There are no touchable or tactile exhibits. There is no audio
description or audio tour. The constant wear and tear on the cut-out
exhibit elements which are mounted on stand-offs to give the exhibits a
more dimensional look results from visitors pulling on them and breaking
elements off. ***This could be a symptom of the visitors\' frustration
with the lack of a tactile aspect to the exhibits as a whole.*** It is
human nature to want to touch and explore interesting shapes with our
hands, but everything as originally designed was meant only to be looked
at. It goes without saying that this is contrary to the benefit of
people who cannot see, and of children, who naturally learn through all
of their senses.

[Recommendation:]{.underline}

In the visual exhibits as they now exist, there are potential areas for
creating tactile elements by converting what are now two-dimensional
images into three-dimensional raised-line, bas-relief, or
fully-dimensional cast models, which visitors can touch. In Exhibit 3,
White House Architecture, there are architectural elevations and cutouts
of the White House which could be used as the references for raised-line
bas-reliefs in cast resin. There are also reproductions of sections of
architectural decorative moldings in a case. If cast moldings of this
type could be put on display where people can touch them, it would be a
great improvement.

**5.** [CHANGEABLE IMAGES IN EXHIBITS:]{.underline}

The park has to deal with certain aspects of the exhibit images which
change on a regular basis due to changes in the presidential
administration. Whenever these changes are made, it can have an impact
on a whole exhibit layout, making it hard to maintain a cohesive design
layout and adding to the cost of making the changes each time.

[Recommendation:]{.underline}

Because of the need for more interactive exhibits, it might solve both
of these problems to make some of these themes into a touch-screen
interactive program rather than a static graphic display. Consequently,
the images in the software can be updated rather than changing a whole
exhibit panel. Examples: the exhibit of the photos of the Oval Office as
it has been furnished through many presidential administrations. The
interactive could include links to details about specific furniture,
carpeting, drapes, etc., which were used.

Another area which can benefit from using an audiovisual approach to
update its interpretation periodically is the \"First Families\" exhibit
in Exhibit 1. A small monitor in this area that could display a simple
slide show of images or video clips, with captions to identify each
image or video clip and no audio. This program could be a continuous
loop video slide show, updated to include each new administration by
updating the content on the show, rather than re-doing the static
exhibit layout each time. It is strongly recommended not to have audio
here, because there is already sound spill from the adjacent \"Welcome
to the White House\" video programs.

**6.** [INADEQUATE LIGHTING:]{.underline}

The visitor center is essentially one large room with a very high
ceiling, and outlets and junction boxes available for exhibit lighting
fixtures are available near the walls. Most of the exhibits are located
along the south wall, but some are freestanding units without their own
dedicated spot lighting, internal lighting or power source. Also, some
of the exhibits located along the south wall are inadequately lit either
because of a problem with the original lighting design, or because the
original lighting equipment is in need of replacement because it now is
at the end of its operational life. There are also other exhibits, such
as temporary panels and cases elsewhere in the exhibit room, which need
some attention in regards to their lighting. The decorative chandelier
fixtures hanging from the ceiling provide overall ambient lighting but
are not sufficient for the more intense spotlighting needed for properly
viewing exhibit text and graphics. See attached photos showing some of
the poorly lit exhibit elements, including some of the freestanding
exhibits, the text panels with the wood grain backgrounds, and temporary
exhibits with backlit glare from the windows on the north wall.

[Recommendation:]{.underline}

The exhibits would greatly benefit from the services of a professional
lighting designer, experienced in museum exhibit lighting. The designer
could:

\(1\) Evaluate the current situation and provide detailed
recommendations. The designer could evaluate the existing exhibit
lighting fixtures, determine which fixtures need replacement, and
recommend updated fixtures and lamps which would hopefully improve
energy and maintenance costs at the same time as improve the lighting of
the exhibits.

\(2\) Another service they could provide would be to improve the exhibit
lighting above what now exists by coming up with proposed solutions to
the dim areas which now create readability problems on some of the
exhibits.

\(3\) An additional service which should be included in the contract is
a detailed cost estimate for implementing the lighting changes,
including annual costs for re-lamping the fixtures and electrical use.
They could also provide information on heat load from the lights on the
HVAC system if this is a factor of concern.

Harpers Ferry Center IDIQ contractors for design or fabrication work can
subcontract to professional lighting designers.

In the meantime, a Harpers Ferry Center\'s IDIQ contractor for museum
exhibit production can also provide some quick fixes to the lighting
problems, as they are familiar with working with museum lighting
situations. They can replace existing fixtures with those of a similar
type, check for and replace broken ventilation fans which may cause
fixtures to overheat, and adjust and aim fixtures. They can also serve
as the prime contractor for the exhibit lighting work and subcontract
out the design work. However, building electrical work is not within the
scope of their contracts.