Museo Archeologico Nacional
What is it?
The National Museum of Archaeology in Madrid is a very user-friendly museum in terms of accessibility, particularly for the blind people, but also for the persons with limited mobility and with cognitive disorders. Ensuring accessibility to all is one of the main objectives of the Museum, so people with different impairments are provided with the due mediation tools so to provided the needed information accordingly.
Why is it important? / How can it help the professionals of the cultural sector?
All museums should have such tactile stations to illustrate at least the main topics approached in the exhibitions. The design of these stations is particularly well designed, and the usefulness hereof is really huge as it helps the visitor, even those without sight impairment, understand better what is actually explained in the exhibition. A sensorial experience is always a good tool to ensure long-term remembering of the visit.
Project /organisation name
Where (country / region)
Type of institution
Permanent or temporary exhibition / project
Date
Physical / digital
Public targeted
- Blind and low-sighted people
- People with cognitive disorders
- People with little mobility
Device/ inclusive features
There are physical tracks for the blind all through the exhibition, and several tactile stations where visitors can touch replicas made of various materials (stone, bone, metal etc.) in the exact shape as the original ones. There are guidebooks in simple language explaining 10 most important exhibits. There is also an electric vehicle available for visitors with limited mobility in order to facilitate the visit.
Collaborations / partners
- Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte
- Fundación Vivir Sin Barreras
Funding
Replicability/adaptability
The concept can be adapted in all interested exhibitions/ museums, so to hat local communities can become more aware of the existence and of the needs of blind and low-sighted people, as well as of the people with various cognitive disorders.
Results / impact
The museum becomes much more visitor-oriented, taking into account the real needs of the persons visiting the establishment.
Testimonials
”A museum whose exhibitions can be regarded as exemplary from several perspectives, one of them being the one of providing people who are blind or have sight impairments with adequate solutions to understand the museum content. The tactile stations designed having in mind this target group are also of interest for the general public”.
Adriana Miron, museum specialist, and visitor of the museum in October 2021