The BnF Museum reopened its doors in 2022 and offers its own free visitor companion app.
This app guides users through the site’s rich history and provides access to a selection of the museum’s works.
The app in 5 key points:
- Trilingual: available in French, English, and Spanish.
- Includes two dedicated accessibility-friendly tours: one for visually impaired visitors and another for hearing-impaired visitors.
- All language and accessibility options are presented at the same level in the content list.
- Available as a web app and as a downloadable app, “BNF Richelieu,” on iOS and Android.
- Features a game-based itinerary for families.
Strengths:
- Offers a guided, geolocated tour.
- Content is regularly updated.
- The interface is compatible with screen readers.
- Links with other on-site accessibility tools, including audio descriptions for ten tactile stations and an audio version of video interviews throughout the museum tour.
Areas for improvement:
- The geolocation function is only available on the downloadable app.
- The audio description uses synthetic voices. While this reduces immersion due to unnatural intonations, it allows for more accessible content and easier updates (as text modifications suffice).
Strengths:
- Includes 35 videos in French Sign Language (LSF).
- Provides written transcriptions under each video.
Areas for improvement:
- Since LSF content is in video format, navigation can be more complex. The menu uses dropdowns to access comments, which can be cumbersome. The easiest way to navigate is by entering the number from exhibition labels or using the interactive map.
Additional accessibility measures beyond the digital app:
- Device loans are available upon request for visitors with disabilities.
- The app is integrated with on-site accessibility terminals.
- Multimedia kiosks also provide LSF content.