Wheelchairs

Stars Northwest can easily accommodate persons with handicaps. We routinely have individuals that visit the planetarium in wheelchairs. It would be very difficult to get a wheelchair through the normal entry tube, but since Starlab is an inflatable tent without  a floor, all we have to do is just lift the dome up and on one side and let the person roll themselves in or be pushed into the planetarium.

There are two limitations for our wheelchair patrons:

        1. They have to be the first ones in, and the last ones out.

 2. Access may be limited by where the school or other hosting facility has us setup the planetarium. For example, if the administration had us set up on the second floor and there are no elevators or ramps, then access may be more difficult. This is a problem that the hiring facility must consider when picking a spot for Stars Northwest to set up.

Bad Backs and other Common Ailments

Usually everyone sits on the floor, kids seldom have a problem with this, however, some of  us older adults find this extremely uncomfortable. If you are unable to sit on the floor for  some reason, let us know. It’s usually quite easy to place a chair under the dome for you.   Also if stooping over and/or crawling into the dome are a problem, we can lift the edge of  the dome and you can walk directly inside. This is fine for one or two persons, but not for a whole group.

Hearing Impaired Individuals

While we do not have the ability to sign our presentations and we do not have closed captioning, we do often have hearing impaired students visit the planetarium. The   planetarium presenter will be glad to wear a radio microphone for those who use one. If   you have a student that does have someone who signs for them, we will provide a small red flashlight that provides enough light so that the student can see both the interpreter  and the sky at the same time.

Return to Home Page