Supporting Transitions: Cultural Connections for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Museums are well-positioned to engage adults with autism and other developmental differences both as visitors and employees. This article recounts the Museum Access Consortium’s process to design and implement the project Supporting Transitions: Cultural Connections for People with Autism with the goal of calling attention to a large opportunity gap for adults with autism and detailing how museums can be key players in helping to fill this gap. The article shares the project plan, research, resources, insights from the community, and partnership opportunities that led to best practices for museums in serving this audience. The project’s participants developed shareable resources to support institutions and staff, generated a guide to career opportunities in the cultural field, and cultivated relationships among museums, service and advocacy organizations, employment specialists, individuals with autism, and parents. This article presents the project’s progress, process, lessons learned, best practices discovered, and replicable models and content.

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