I have CFS/ME, and on Monday I'm going to London as my American passport needs renewing. I've got a fairly high "baseline" of activity at which my energy levels are stable (two lessons a day in school), so Mum and I are planning a trip to the Science Museum afterwards. For this, we're doing things like making sure I have earplugs, getting a taxi rather than taking the Underground, and we've booked a wheelchair in the museum to reduce the amount of walking and standing I have to do. It's going to be the first time I've been in one – I'm currently slightly annoyed at the feeling of being an "invalid" – other than a couple instances of messing around. Is there anyone here who is/has been in a wheelchair for a while? I'd like to know what to expect – I guess I mean, is it likely that I'll be treated differently? How easy is it to navigate the average museum in a wheelchair (most of the time, Mum will probably push me)? Is there anything I should be aware of? Or should I just go for it, enjoy the museum, and hope nothing terribly bad happens?
I guess nobody else has spent time in a wheel chair... I haven't either, but I've seen people in wheel chairs - obviously. And I certainly don't treat them any differently than I would treat anyone else. Most modern buildings are pretty wheel chair accessible, so I don't expect you'll have a problem there. If the place is really busy then you might have a bit of an issue negotiating the crowds and seeing some of the exhibits. Good luck!
The Science Museum is super easy to use with wheelchairs so you'll fine fine from that angle. Monday won't be as busy as the weekend of it either, but I've never found the SM to be busy anyway all the times I've gone. As for what to expect, I can't say, I've never used one myself, although I have noticed that people will move out of the way if you need to get past. I say go for it, you'll get pushed around a great place for a few hours, so enjoy that!
And well, if you (and your mom) are unsure of how to get somewhere accessible, don't be afraid to ask; at least here in Canada, a lot of workplaces are now being trained (like proper training modules) for accessibility services. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun though
It was good fun, and definitely worth the exhaustion afterwards! The museum was mostly accessible (one part in the Medical History section was raised on stairs, so I walked that bit, but otherwise it was nice and flat), though one lift lacked a button for floor 4, causing some confusion. It's also really strange how a wheelchair twists every time you round a corner, but we didn't have any mishaps. The exhibit I was most interested in (18th century astronomical instruments and the like) was empty save a yawning staff member who was very friendly. There were two school groups – years 3/4 – that we encountered, and I could hear one of the teachers telling her class to let me go first and that yes, someone could be in a chair and still have their legs!
