Exhibition | Nothing About Us Without Us

This exhibition showcases an extensive collection of protest material brought together for the very first time.  This includes banners, t-shirts, photographs, cartoons and sculpture.

Take a 3D tour of the exhibition

“People coming to the exhibition will laugh at the satirical cartoons, cry at the appalling stories of disablist discrimination and share the triumph at the battles fought and won by disability rights campaigners dating back to the 19th century.”
Ruth Malkin, PHM Community Curator

The exhibition has been co-curated by four community curators who identify as disabled people and guided by a steering group who have been working with the museum since 2018.

Nothing About Us Without Us is the most accessible exhibition that has ever taken place at PHM.  A range of accessible formats have been created to enable visitors to engage with the exhibition in different ways;

• Here on the website (below) you can find British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted, audio narrated and captioned films, audio format information, Large Print and Easy Read guides and a Visual Story for the exhibition.
• When visiting the exhibition in person you can access BSL interpreted, audio narrated and captioned films, along with audio format information via QR code in the exhibition gallery.  Printed copies of Large Print and Easy Read guides are available, as well as braille transcriptions of the exhibition content.  You will also find magnifying glasses, colour overlays, ear defenders, and sensory bags.

Although there are a range of accessible formats available, we understand everyone’s access needs are different.  If you want to discuss your access needs with a member of the museum team, you can contact us on access@phm.org.uk or by phoning on 0161 838 9190.

Check out the programme of accessible events and activities to accompany the exhibition.

Suitable for 12+

Part of PHM’s co-curated programme of activity exploring the history of disabled people’s rights and activism.

This exhibition is a celebration of the determination of disabled people in the face of hardship and abuse.  Some of the items in this exhibition show disabled people in distressing or even life-threatening situations.  Stories covered include disabled people’s responses to lived experiences of abuse, assaults, suicide, and incarceration in hospital and other settings.