MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Public Museum opened a new space for visitors with various abilities and needs. The sensory room is changing the museum experience for some guests. The purpose is to give visitors an oasis away from the exhibits that can be overwhelming and Jenna Kloeckner loves it.
"To come to someplace like this his minds always just going to be like running so you just have to be ready and have a lot of energy to like keep up," said Jenna Kloeckner.
Kloeckner said the room makes all the difference for her 4-year-old.
"Brayden does have autism so even just leaving the house is like a really big deal," said Kloeckner.
Her son can regroup in the sensory room when needed.
"It just lets him and his mind decompress and do what he needs to do to like calm down," said Kloeckner.
The space is designed to calm an individual's senses.
"Every piece in there was really thought out with like dimming the lights and different chairs," said Kloeckner.
Dawn Koceja, the museum's accessibility coordinator hopes the sensory room gives families a chance to stay longer.
"All the things that an individual might need to just come, relax, regroup themselves and then be able to go back out into the museum and continue their day without having to leave," said Dawn Koceja.
It's strategic not to have a door. The room is open to anyone who might need it.
"I think the space is specifically designed for individuals with neuro sensitivities neurodiversity so if we think of individuals with autism, PTSD, other cognitive challenges, we wanted to make sure that we're addressing the needs of that audience," said Koceja.
For the Kloeckner's the sensory room means more time exploring the museum.
