After we left the Fall River Library today we headed to the Fall River Historical Society to do a wheelchair accessibility review. It is located in a beautiful large mansion. There is a circular driveway right in the front of the building and there is a sign that this is only for handicap parking.
There is a beautiful garden to the left of the parking lot with many beautiful flowers and walkways and a gazebo in the middle. This area is not wheelchair accessible for it has 3 steps leading up to it.
There is a side area walkway on the left side of this garden that is at a lower level but the walkway doesn’t slope down to the driveway so it isn’t wheelchair accessible but would be easy to make it wheelchair accessible for they would just need to extend the walkway slope it into the parking lot.
We then went to the main entry door and saw it also had steps so we went to a side door that is the Museum Shop entry. This looked accessible until we opened the outer door and saw a step leading to the entry door here. My friend went in to ask of there was a wheelchair accessible entrance and was told there was not. He was told that if we could get my wheelchair up the step in the side Museum Shop that the whole first floor of exhibits are accessible but not the second floor of exhibits. We found it odd that this Museum had handicap parking in the main drive way yet it isn’t wheelchair accessible.
My friend went inside and brought out a brochure with prices of tours and what this museum has. The cost is Adults $5 Children $3 and Children under three are free. They have tours every hour on the hour.
The brochure stated that this museum has a Museum Shop, Fall River Line Collection, The World’s Largest Lizzie Borden Exhibit and a Costume Collection of 1800- 1950. I really want to see the Lizzie Borden Exhibit so my friend went back in and asked if the Lizzie Borden Exhibit was located on the accessible first floor and was told it was. They asked if it was ok if I brought my EZ Access Suitcase Ramp Advantage Series to use to get in and they said it would be fine. We will soon head back there and bring my ramp with us.
I give The Fall River Historical Society ZERO STARS. In order to earn any more Stars they would need to place a ramp leading to the left garden area walkway, place a threshold entry at the door leading to the Museum Shop which is accessible to the main museum and add a chair lift or small elevator leading from the first to second floor exhibits. If you have a portable wheelchair suitcase ramp you can gain access to first floor level.