Museums and autism: creating an inclusive community for learning

Museums and their academic partner, museum studies, comprise an interdisciplinary group of professionals and scholars who not only study, care for and exhibit our cultural and natural heritage, but offer progressive learning solutions and proactively work toward making positive differences for diverse populations. This chapter discusses how museums can use social learning theory and practice to provide an inclusive and effective program for learners on the autism spectrum. The model I describe here is a ‘museum learning community’ and the focus of my research is a group I established in 2006, known by its members as the ‘Museum Learners Club’ or MLC.