Annenberg Presidential Conference Center Is Certified ‘Sensory Inclusive’

The Walter & Leonore Annenberg Presidential Conference Center (APCC) at Texas A&M University is the first event center on campus and in the Brazos Valley to be certified “sensory inclusive” to ensure an accommodating and positive experience for guests with sensory sensitivities.

Part of the Bush Presidential Library Complex on the Texas A&M campus, the conference center has hosted scores of events featuring high-profile guests including U.S. presidents and vice presidents, other sitting and former government officials, top executives, authors and educators from around the world.

APCC staff worked with KultureCity in the certification process, which entailed training staff to recognize guests with sensory sensitivities and manage sensory overload incidences. Staff will offer bags that include noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads to any guest who may feel overwhelmed by the environment.

“Individuals with autism, dementia, PTSD and other similar conditions (1 in 6 individuals), often experience sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation,” APCC staff stated in a press release. “One of the major barriers for these individuals is sensitivity to over stimulation and noise, which is an enormous part of the environment in a venue like the APCC. With its new certification, the conference center is now better prepared to assist guests with sensory sensitivities in having the most comfortable and accommodating experience possible when attending any event at the APCC.”

Guests are encouraged to download the free KultureCity app prior to attending an event. There, guests can view which sensory features are available and how to access them.

About the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center

In May of 1991, former President George H.W. Bush elected to make Texas A&M University home to his Presidential Library. The site of the George Bush Presidential Library Complex, which houses the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Conference Center (APCC) and the Bush School of Government and Public Service, covers 90 acres on the West Campus of Texas A&M University.

The APCC houses two auditoriums, three banquet spaces, a 3,363 square-foot lobby, the Policy Sciences and Economics Library and the George & Barbara Bush Foundation offices. In March of 2003, the George Bush Presidential Conference Center was renamed the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Conference Center.

The APCC strives to deliver unparalleled personal and professional customer relations and to be the premier event facility at Texas A&M. Offering quality event management support by understanding client needs and expectations, the staff at the APCC is dedicated to providing the best in customer satisfaction as well as upholding the core values of Texas A&M and the Bush School of Government and Public Service.