The Riverside Museum’s latest exhibition has opened, charting the technological advancement of the wheelchair. The new exhibit was created with input from a group of wheelchair users and highlights the impact that improvements in design have had for disabled people.
Technological Advancements
The exhibit consists of four wheelchairs spanning a period of around 100 years. It aims to give an insight into life from a disabled person’s point of view as well as showing that ‘the chair doesn’t define the person’.
The stylish Riverside Museum is operated by community interest company and registered charity, Glasgow Life. It’s chair, Councillor Archie Graham, said the new exhibition gave the museum the chance to explore a previously under-researched area, adding: “We receive a great deal of positive feedback about our regular display changes at Riverside.”
Speaking of the local people who contributed to the development of the new exhibit Cllr. Graham said: “We couldn’t have done it without the wheelchair users, they’ve been fantastic. I hope that our wheelchair display will act as a catalyst for conversation and contribute to further understanding of the needs of disabled people.”
Story of Wheelchair Users
The display is not necessarily an in-depth history of wheelchairs but rather focuses on the story of several wheelchair users, showing how each chair – like each wheelchair user – is unique. The four chairs include the very first wheelchair ever made; a chair designed for developing countries and a chair used by British No 1 wheelchair tennis player Gordon Reid.
The display is open now at the Riverside Museum, between the Albion bus and Tram No. 1089, on the ground floor. To find out more about the museum visit the Glasgow Life website here.
