SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California State Railroad Museum (CSRM) has achieved sensory-inclusive certification from KultureCity^®, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting inclusivity and accessibility for individuals with sensory needs. This prestigious certification creates a more welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment for visitors with sensory needs, including individuals with autism, veterans with PTSD, adults with dementia, and more. Certification allows the Museum’s team to better serve the community through interactions, improved sensory signage, and additional added value services such as sensory bags available at the Museum front desk and the Central Pacific Passenger Station (CPPS) ticketing office.

A few key sensory enhancements at the Museum include the following:

• Welcoming Signage: New signs inside the Museum and at the nearby Passenger Station include a welcome sign, directions to where visitors can check out sensory bags, warnings about headphone zones, and quiet area alerts.
• Sensory Bag Check-Out: Sensory bags filled with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, weighted pads, and more, can be checked out at the Museum’s front desk or at the Passenger Station ticketing office. Visitors need to show a form of ID and have contact information at check-out.
• Headphone Zones: New signs warning visitors the area might be a good spot to wear a noise-cancelling headphone are located in a variety of key locations such as at the Star Drill interactive, entering the Roundhouse from the Transcontinental Gallery or bathrooms, in the Thomas W. Sefton Gallery and Jr. Engineer play area on the third floor, and on the CPPS platforms when trains are running. Also, the St. Hyacinth sleeper car has a “sensory overload” sign because of the rocking and lights.
• Quiet Areas: New signs alerting visitors the area might be a good place to take a sensory break are located at the Station 22/telegrapher’s station waiting room, in the National Model Railroad Association exhibit on the third floor, and inside the CPPS ticketing office. Also, the Station 22 waiting room has had small modifications to create a quieter space for those needing a sensory break.

KultureCity’s flagship initiative, the Sensory Inclusive™ program, has been widely embraced by venues, stadiums, and cultural institutions across the nation and around the world, including locally at Golden 1 Center and the Sacramento Zoo. This groundbreaking program provides training and resources for staff and volunteers, enabling them to better accommodate individuals with sensory sensitivities. As a result, countless families and individuals can now experience and enjoy more live events, entertainment, and public spaces with greater comfort and ease.

The certification process entailed the staff and volunteers at the California State Railroad Museum and California State Railroad Museum Foundation being trained by leading medical and neurodivergent professionals on how to recognize those visitors with sensory needs and how to handle a sensory overload situation. Sensory bags, equipped with noise canceling headphones (provided by Puro Sound Labs), fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads are also available to those at the Museum or taking an excursion train ride who may feel overwhelmed by the environment.

Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are often experienced by individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions; age is no factor in this. Individuals might become overwhelmed by crowds, lights, sounds, smells, or other external stimuli available at the dynamic Railroad Museum. Founded on the belief that every person deserves to fully participate in all aspects of life, KultureCity^® has been a driving force in fostering a culture of acceptance. Through innovative programs and partnerships, KultureCity^® has successfully broken down barriers that often prevent individuals with sensory sensitivities from enjoying public spaces and events. With its new certification, the Railroad Museum is now better prepared to assist visitors with sensory sensitivities in having the most comfortable and accommodating experience possible.

"Empowering communities through inclusion and innovation, the California State Railroad Museum is aligned with the same visionary spirit as KultureCity^® and is championing a world where every individual, regardless of ability, is not just accepted but celebrated for their unique contributions to the tapestry of humanity!” said Uma Srivastava, Executive Director, KultureCity^®.

Prior to visiting or attending an event at the Railroad Museum, individuals or families can download the free KultureCity^® App to view what sensory features are available and where they can access them in the Museum and Passenger Station. A key feature is the Social Story, which helps visitors know what to expect before they arrive. A few helpful links include the following:

• CSRM: https://venue.kulturecity.org/venues/california-state-railroad-museum
• CPPS: https://venue.kulturecity.org/venues/california-state-railroad-museum-the-station
• KultureCity app: https://www.kulturecity.org/app/

Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., regular admission to the California State Railroad Museum is $12 for adults, $6 for youth (ages 6 to 17), and are free for children five and under. For more information about the California State Railroad Museum and Foundation, please visit www.californiarailroad.museum.

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KultureCity^®, established in 2014, is a dynamic non-profit organization at the forefront of the inclusivity movement which continues to make waves in creating a more accessible and accepting world for individuals with sensory needs and invisible disabilities (found in 1 in 4 of us). In a short 10 years, a few highlight of KultureCity’s impact includes making over 1,800 venues sensory inclusive certified, handing out almost a million sensory bags to individuals in need, making over 150 live events sensory inclusive, and saving 48 lives through the KultureCity^® First Responder Training. KultureCity’s commitment to inclusivity extends beyond physical spaces. The organization actively collaborates with influential figures, businesses, and communities to promote awareness and understanding of invisible disabilities. KultureCity^® partners with event industry leaders like NFL, NBA, MLB and FIFA to make their flagship events sensory inclusive. With ongoing initiatives, partnerships, and a passionate community of supporters, KultureCity^® is set to leave an enduring impact on the landscape of inclusivity.

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About the California State Railroad Museum Foundation

The mission of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation (CSRMF) is to generate revenue and awareness on behalf of its destinations, while supporting the preservation, interpretation, and promotion of our railroad heritage. The Foundation provides funding for ongoing support of numerous programs, both at the museum's Old Sacramento location and at the historic park in Jamestown, Calif. For more information, please visit www.californiarailroad.museum.