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Mylapore's Museum Caf shut to make way for office space

CHENNAI: The Museum Caf, a unique and fully accessible space run by persons with disabilities (PwDs) atop the Museum of Possibilities at the Lady Willingdon College campus in Mylapore, has been shut down by the Commissionerate of the Welfare of the Differently-Abled, reportedly to convert the premises into an office space. Sources said Monday was the cafs last working day. The caf also offered persons with disabilities essential training opportunities, and also served as an accessible place for them to meet and interact. The Museum of Possibilities, along with the caf, was inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin in June 2022 as a state government initiative. The museum showcases a range of assistive and adaptive devices aimed at enabling PwDs to lead independent lives. It was conceptualised as a space where persons with disabilities could try out new technologies and understand what best suit their needs, while also raising public awareness on accessibility and inclusive living. The caf was also functioning as a bakery and confectionary training unit for disabled students, providing them hands-on experience in a safe and inclusive setting. According to sources, NGO Vidya Sagar has been running a one-year vocational programme in restaurant and retail management using the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) cirriculum, where students undergo six months of theory training at the NGO followed by six months of industrial training at the caf. A total of 16 persons have been trained in the cafe so far of which 10 were from Vidya Sagar and the remaining six came through other referrals. Of them, five persons are working in different restaurants while one has started his own business. In a notice dated September 26, the commissionerate stated that its three-year MoU with Vidya Sagar ended on August 31, 2025. It also noted that the commissionerate has decided to run Museum of Possibilities only on the ground floor and that tenders had been invited to manage and operate the facility. The NGO was instructed to hand over the caf premises within 60 days. With the closure, an accessible, community-led space created for and by persons with disabilities will now be converted into government office space, said activists and disabled persons. The caf, which has been functioning for three years, was 100% accessible. From the light switches to the cups used there, every detail was designed to accommodate people with different kinds of disabilities. Because of this, it became a popular and safe space for wheelchair users and others with disabilities, and several events were held there, said Sathish Kumar, a wheelchair user and member of the Disability Rights Alliance (DRA). He added it was disheartening to see such a valuable space being shut down. The department should allow the caf to continue, as it would be very difficult to recreate a space like this again. It was not only accessible but also offered training that helped disabled persons to become financially independent, he said. Officials from differently abled welfare department were not available for comments.