Hi -
Our Guild gave us 30 portable camp stools in 2010. They are lightweight, have a nice shoulder strap, and hold up to 250 pounds. They came from an online company called EverywhereChair.com. I just looked at their website, and, unfortunately, they don't carry the style we have anymore, but I have seen very similar ones on online camping/sportsman stores.
We don't use them a lot, but they can be helpful. They have also held up very well. Things you might want to think about before you order a stool set:
1. Where are you going to store them? We had 2 custom carts made. The stools just hang across the bars on the cart, and we store them in our coat closet. The carts are on wheels, so we can just roll them out when we have a full classroom that needs to use them all. If individuals want to use them, they just ask at the information desk and the attendant gets one. We don't ask for the stools to be signed in and out.
2. Will they be easy for older visitors to get in and out of? The sturdier and higher the better for those with hip and back arthritis.
3. Do you mind the noise? Visitors have to sit perfectly still in the stools, or the movement of the cloth makes things a bit noisy. (I had thought the noise would go away after some use, but this has not occurred.) I have found the best way to handle this when kids or families use the stools for programs is to give everyone a 10-count to make as much noise with the stools as possible before we start. The laughter that ensues is contagious, and they are usually very still after that.
Good luck.
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Kim Sheahan
Asst. Dir. of Education
W.R. & C.V. Spurlock Museum - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Urbana IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2017 05:45 PM
From: Krystle Mangan
Subject: Portable Seats/Folding Stools for Museum Guests
Hello!
Our museum and historic sites are interested in purchasing portable seats/folding stools for our museum guests. These would be available for visitors, especially those whose physicality requires something light to carry, sturdy to sit, easy to maneuver and convenient to store, for use in our galleries and historic properties.
Does your museum/institution have portable seating/folding stools? If so, what brand have you purchased and how durable are they? How convenient for maneuvering and storing? How often are they used? What system do you have for "checking" them out? Including use by guests during gallery/property tours, are there any other functions where your portable seating/folding stools have been used? What else should we know...?
Finally, are there any other institutions/museums that we should contact?
Any input would be extremely helpful.
Thank you!
Krystle
Krystle Mangan
Gallery Programming Manager
e: kmangan@indianamuseum.org
p: 317.509.7679
f: 317.233.8268
Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
Celebrating 200 Years of Statehood
650 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Indianamuseum.org
