I imagine the accessibility in the 17th century was pretty bad when the Pilgrims landed in 1620. I'm sorry to report that things have not changed much in accessability.
The town of Plymouth is very accessible, curb cuts and many or most of the restaurants and shops are wheelchair accessible... But
I was very surprised when visiting Plimoth plantation with the limited access. There are very few paved wheelchair walkways, it's mostly sand and gravel. Several of the automated doors were not working at the visitor center.
I was extremely disappointed because I was looking forward to seeing this part of history. Instead, I had strangers push my wheelchair three or four times when I was stuck in the sand. And left the grounds without seeing very much of the property. I expected a little bit more from this facility. Pave a walkway already !
From their web page:
Information for Our Guests in Wheelchairs
Welcome!
Plimoth Plantation, the museum of 17th-century Plymouth, is a large outdoor museum with exhibits that cover over 40 acres. While many of the re-created 17th-century buildings are accessible to our guests in wheelchairs the pathways in-between can be significant obstacles. These pathways are for the most part unpaved (dirt or sand) and some of these paths have steep grades. Due to these conditions some paths are currently not accessible by wheelchairs.
Please understand that a variety of factors such as weather conditions, the type of wheelchair that you are using and whether or not you have someone strong to assist you will determine how accessible you find these pathways. Speak with a staff person at the Visitor Center regarding your particular needs. While many people with mobility disabilities are able to take advantage of all of our sites, in some instances, we will recommend that guests instead take advantage of the programs and exhibits offered in the Visitor Center.
At Plimoth Plantation, we are working hard to provide improved access for all of our guests. Over the next few years we will be undertaking many improvements. We have already re-graded and stabilized the soil on some of our pathways. These and other improvements will help to make our museum a place of learning for the widest possible spectrum
4 comments:
Aw that sucks. So sorry you couldn't enjoy the plantation more. I hate going on a vacation and being denied seeing something that I've been wanting to see. I imagine in your circumstance it just makes it all the more frustrating because places like these should be made wheel-chair accessible!
That really is a shame. :(
It's weird to think that this country is constantly changing things but don't always change the important things.
That is surprising. You would think a place of such importance in history, would take the measures by now to insure that everyone can enjoy it and learn from it. It is 2009 and there is almost no reason for this.
I am sorry that you faced such an ordeal on a "vacation"
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