The family bathroom in our children's museum is located within a popular exhibit space, the Smith Family PlaySpace, designed especially for children three-years old and younger and their adult companions. When this exhibit was being designed, focus groups told us they wanted a bathroom right within the exhibit, so I'm not surprised that visitors say they appreciate its convenient location.

You can't see from this photo, but there are two toilets in the family rest room: one is adult-sized and other is child-sized. The latter has a fun, blue seat. Although used primarily by younger visitors, every now and then an "older" child (four- or five-years old) will visit just to use the toilet with the blue seat. In addition to the two toilets, there is a small plastic seat, similar in appearance to a car-seat that attaches to the wall. This model comes with a buckle so the young child can be buckled in. This means that if an adult is using the toilet, he/she does not have to worry about a child putting his/her hands into the toilet.

Picture books in a plastic bin on the wall gives kids something to do when an adult is using the toilet and when theirs or another child's diapers are being changed. The biggest drawback is that we only have one family restroom in our museum and sometimes a line forms, and changing a diaper and several children using the toilet can be a bit lengthy. It helps that we have changing tables in all our bathrooms.
AM, Massachusetts

More about door hardware. Round door knobs are often too large for children and require all users to grasp, twist, and turn their wrists-something to be avoided. Lever handles are better. They provide flat surface that can be opened easily with closed fist, an elbow, often just a finger. Choose one that is at least 5 inches long and curves back toward the door.

AARP (American Association for Retired Persons) has info on lever handles at http://www.aarp.org/universalhome/doors/handles.html. S, Washington, DC

At our science center, there is a single-stall family restroom near each of our traditional restrooms. They are small, private rooms with a toilet, handrail, sink, and pull-down changing table. They can be locked from the inside. They were part of the design of our new science center. They seem to be used most often by parents with young children, and occasionally by adult guests with disabilities. A, Ohio

I am not surprised that many of the Settlement Agreements on the U.S. Department of Justice website talk about rest rooms since rest rooms are basic to public buildings, new and old. The list of changes needed in a library's restroom is typical. It went from providing an accessible route of at least 36 inches width to lowering the height of the "flush control" at the urinal from 47 inches to 44 inches above the floor. In between, the library was directed to put signage on the latch side of the door; adjust door closers so that force to open the door was not more than five pounds; adjust the heights of mirrors, paper towel, soap, and sanitary napkin dispensers according to the guidelines; and insulate the hot water and drain pipes under the accessible sink. The library was given 12 months to make these changes. This Settlement Agreement was with a town and so in addition to barriers to be removed at the library, the City Hall's lack of accessible restrooms is also addressed. A "unisex toilet room" is recommended, as follows: The first floor men's and women's toilet rooms are not accessible. The City will construct an accessible unisex toilet room on the first floor and post directional signs at the inaccessible toilet rooms to its location. Sally, Washington, D.C.

What's wrong with this picture? You are right if you say that the signage is mounted in the wrong place. Consequently, as demonstrated here, person reading sign mounted on the restroom door can be hit in face when person leaving the restroom opens the door. Signage should be mounted on the wall adjacent to the latch side of the door, with centerline of sign 60 inches above the floor. S, Maryland