Discovering Milestones with Aaron Morgan

“I had a nice day out at Milestones… Aside from the cobbled street, the accessibility was really good and I would definitely recommend it to other disabled people”

 

Racing driver, Aaron Morgan, has been out on the road again for Allied Mobility discovering an amazing journey back in time at Milestones Museum.

Arriving

I arrived by car and was able to park in one of the six disabled parking bays at the main entrance to the museum.  Five bays had additional space for a wheelchair, one of them did not. However, there is plenty of room behind the parking bays and so ideal for wheelchair accessible vehicles with rear access.

The main entrance is wide and I had no problems getting through with my wheelchair.  Once inside, the reception desk was right in front of me, the gift shop was to the left, exhibits and toilets are to the right.  The cost of entry was £8.45 for me as a concession and my carer was allowed in for free.  Scooters and manual wheelchairs are available to use for free, it is recommend that you book ahead as they are subject to availability.

Discovering Dinosaurs

The main museum exhibits were accessed by a lift, which I found spacious.  Once out of the lift there was a selection of vintage arcade games, all of which I could access and play from my wheelchair. Next I visited the temporary dinosaur exhibit; it housed four animatronic dinosaurs on loan from the Natural History Museum.  There was information about each dinosaur and a small interactive game in this section, all accessible.

The main part of the museum housed a recreation of a Victorian and Edwardian street.  This section featured period shops and businesses, some of which you can even go inside!  As the road was cobbled, it did make manoeuvring it in a wheelchair a little tricky.  I kept to the pavements when I could but there aren’t many drop kerbs, so I was limited in where I could go.

Back in Time

The museum also features living room sets from various decades throughout the 1900s to showcase how life, style and fashion has changed. Additionally there was a rail of vintage clothing you can try on to make the experience even more authentic!

The saw mill exhibit, at the end of experience, revealed what working life was like and what tools were used.  There are lots of exhibits in cabinets at this section, a few of which were mounted too high for me to see properly.

Accessible Facilities

The toilets on the lower floor have grab rails and enough room for my manual wheelchair, but you might struggle a little if you have a larger powerchair or scooter.  The museum shop had a wide selection of souvenirs, sweets and toys and I could get around the displays easily. The museum has a café too, located near to the shop. It offered a selection of hot and cold food, which you could eat at the indoor or outdoor seating areas if weather permits.

I had a nice day out at Milestones and I think young children would love it too. There is plenty to explore,  see and do.  Aside from the cobbled street, the accessibility was really good and I would definitely recommend it to other disabled people.

Milestones Museum can be found in Basingstoke, Hampshire, to find out more, visit their website here.