Audio tour for visitors with visual impairments: “Masterpieces” tour with audio description at Musée Rodin in Paris, France

The Musée Rodin, located in Paris, houses the donation made by sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) to the French state in 1916. His masterpieces are displayed in the Hôtel Biron, an 18th-century mansion where the artist lived during his final years, and in its garden. The museum also provides an insight into his creative process, from his early days to official recognition, through numerous preparatory studies and assemblages. It also has a room dedicated to the sculptor Camille Claudel and exhibits works collected by Rodin.

When REACT partners visited the Rodin Museum in December 2024, the institution’s accessibility officer expressed a desire to improve the offering for visitors with visual impairments. Tactile tours are scheduled, but only sporadically. A booklet in Braille and relief is available for independent visits, but does not include detailed descriptions of the works.

The Musée Rodin and Alto agreed to produce a free audio tour, available upon presentation of proof of disability, with three objectives:

• to present the museum’s masterpieces and the Hôtel Biron in 45 minutes and 10 audio commentaries.
• to promote a sensitive approach through poetic writing and a soundscape.
• to allow for the greatest possible autonomy.

A final objective, more specific to Alto, was to reuse excerpts from the audio tour for the general public to reduce costs, in order to offer an accessible audio project model.

The team consisted of:

• the accessibility officer at the Rodin Museum and the production manager at Alto
• a writer specializing in audio description
• an accessibility officer working in heritage, who is herself visually impaired, to read the script and test the audio tour on site
• a sound engineer

The rules for traditional audio description are as follows:

• start with a precise and detailed description
• move from the general to the specific
• ideally, do not exceed 3 to 3.5 minutes of commentary so as not to lose the visitors’ attention—approximately 390 to 455 words (in French)

Alto attempted to interweave description and analysis of the work for greater dynamism, but this did not always work. To vary the structure, however, several commentaries begin with a description of the museum rooms or contextualizing elements.

Several options were considered for offering an independent audio tour:

• Automatic trigger beacons.
• Access to the tour from visitors’ personal phones. However, this option would have required the creation of an app in a short time frame.

In the end, a lightweight audio guide with a built-in Braille keyboard was chosen. The commentary can be listened to by pressing the “play” button or by entering the number of the rooms in which the works on the tour are exhibited.

The choice of audio guide raised the question of guidance: how to lead visitors from one room to another and bring them as close as possible to the works?

It was decided to add movement instructions to the audio commentary, using the entrance door to each room as the starting point.

A leaflet was written for any accompanying persons to show them the works on the tour.

The option of a thermoformed map was also considered: a quote was provided by the National Institute for Training and Research in Inclusive Education (INSEI). The estimate was very reasonable, but did not fit within the project budget.

Alto and the Musée Rodin tested several types of sound design:

• drone music to accompany the description: the polished appearance of the marble, or the dialogue between light and shadow, for example
• pieces evoking the emotions conveyed by the work

The final choice was a selection of romantic pieces from the 19th century, performed on the piano by someone working for Alto. Excerpts punctuate the audio commentary. Their volume is low so as not to interfere with listening.

Finally, two actresses and one actor lent their voices to the descriptions. This variety helps to bring more rhythm to the audio commentary.

The tour was inaugurated during Accessibility Week 2025. It was tested by cultural professionals, visually impaired people, and their companions. Initial feedback from the latter shows satisfaction with the content and musical accompaniment.

From this work, which took place over six months, we can see the importance of treating each work on a case-by-case basis: a single method cannot suit their diversity. Some require less description and leave more room for lyricism. Others cannot be depicted without a rigorous and detailed description.

To save money, it is a good idea to calibrate the number of words written to avoid spending too much time in the recording studio. Purchasing your own recording equipment is also an option.

Finally, to achieve a result that is as relevant as it is poetic and appealing, it is important to allow ample time for validation and back-and-forth discussions on the schedule for such a project, especially if it is proposed by an organization outside the cultural institution.