Service

Museum of Austerity: Visitor guide and access infos

An old man is sleeping on a wooden table. The table and the entire room are covered in wood panelling. And there are three chairs at the table. The room looks like a courtroom and is completely empty except for the sleeping man.
Museum of Austerity

We want to welcome everyone to Museum of Austerity and to make your visit as easy as possible. Here is some information that we hope is useful.

Mixed Reality

Museum of Austerity offers a promenade gallery experience that involves use of a Hololens 2 mixed reality headset. This is a relatively lightweight, adjustable headset with a glass screen that enables you to see the room you are in at the same time as seeing holographic images inside the room. You are invited to wear this headset along with a set of headphones that will deliver a multilayered soundscape including testimony and original music.

Content Warning

Age Recommendation: from 18 years. Museum of Austerity contains distressing and challenging material. This includes:

  • Holographic depictions of: death and mental distress
  • Audio references to: mental distress and death, including three instances of suicide*, linked to the benefit system
  • Audio references to: domestic violence, alcoholism, self-harm, eating disorders, dementia

*Note: One story includes a detail relating to the method of someone’s death by suicide. There is an option to have this story and any others you may have concerns about removed from your experience in advance.

Language

Please be aware Museum of Austerity is an English language production. All audio, written text and access provision is in English.

Before the experience

Before entering, a host will ask you about any access requirements you have and will help you put on and adjust your headset and headphones. If there is something in the content warnings you may find especially challenging, please let your host know as we can filter some specific content based on individual preference.

During the experience

Museum of Austerity is designed for audiences of no more than ten. A host will be nearby throughout the experience. If you need any assistance, at any time, including to request a portable seat or to remove your headset, just raise your hand and the host will come immediately to assist you. There will be a place within the experience that you can sit to take a break from listening to the narratives, where you’ll only hear music. The experience lasts approximately 35 minutes but you are able to leave at any time. There is a quiet seated area next to the gallery.

After the experience

You are welcome to stay in the lounge area after the experience for a short while to look at the wall displays or to have a rest on one of the sofas.

Further Information

If you would like to know more about this subject, John Pring, co-editor of Museum of Austerity, invites you to explore the Deaths by Welfare timeline, co-created with Dr China Mills at Healing Justice Ldn. here on this page www.deathsbywelfare.org

Access

Please let us know your access requirements in advance. You can do this by emailing barrierefreiheit@kampnagel.de.

Museum of Austerity is accessible to wheelchair users and can also be experienced walking and standing as a promenade experience including with portable folding stools. The following options and equipment are also available:

  • Captional, International Sign Language Introduction on iPad, which you can watch here
  • In headset captions
  • Dialogue only version (reduced background sound)
  • Silent version
  • Large over-ear headphones which can encompass a behind-ear hearing aid
  • A volume control allowing independent control of volume in the left or right ear
  • A 3.5mm mini-jack socket for hearing aids with direct input cable
  • A personal induction loop for hearing aids with a T-setting
  • Transcript available on request
  • Headphones free audio
  • Audio description (Introduction and Through Description) for Kampnagel is available here in English:
  • Written versions of the audio descriptions can be read here:
  • The full text guide to the written materials in the Museum of Austerity can be listened to here.
  • Stationary, seated, audio only version
  • Sighted Guide host support. This involves a host guiding a blind audience member individually around the experience (please email barrierefreiheit@kampnagel.de to arrange in advance if this option is suitable for you)
  • The mixed reality headset can be worn over most glasses and contact lenses
  • Headset brightness adjustment
  • Large print version of signage and audio description transcript in English available in paper or digital form on request.
  • Guide dogs welcome
  • Free companion tickets available at time of booking

Keeping Safe: HoloLens 2

Touch points on headsets, earphones and iPads will be sanitised between use. The HoloLens 2 Safety Warnings and Instructions are available here in English and here in German. Printed versions of this can be provided by your host. We recommend you read the full guidance before making a decision to enter:

  • If you have an electronic medical device fitted (e.g pacemaker)
  • If you or any of your relatives have a history of seizures or epilepsy
  • If you have a pre-existing vision condition, as a small percentage of people have a pre-existing vision condition that may be aggravated when using HoloLens 2.

Some people may experience discomfort such as nausea, motion sickness, dizziness, disorientation, headache, fatigue, eye strain, or dry eyes when using mixed reality. If you experience discomfort, alert your host and rest until you feel better. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.

Helplines / Further Support

For every showing of Museum of Austerity there will be a host present should you need support.If you have found the content challenging, you may choose to listen to the audio breathing exercise resource prepared by the production’s Wellbeing advisor. You can listen here.

If you or someone you know are feeling emotionally distressed, the following organisations offer advice and support:

Feedback

We welcome feedback. If you have any suggestions about how we could have improved your experience of Museum of Austerity, please email admin@ett.org.uk or pop a message in our exhibition postbox.