Access To Museums Research Articles

Museums! How Accessible for Individuals with Disabilities?

The research examines the accessibility of museums in Istanbul for people with disabilities. The aim is to determine the suitability of museums in Istanbul for individuals with physical, visual, and hearing impairments, identify the problems they encounter in museums, identify physical limitations, and develop solution proposals. The qualitative research method was used in the research conducted in 2022-2023 covering museums in Istanbul. The research consists of two parts. In the first part, the museums to be visited were determined. Then, the checklists were submitted for approval to two expert academics. Opinions regarding the questions in the checklists were obtained by conducting a pilot study with six individuals with physical impairments, two with visual impairments, and two with hearing impairments. In the second part, the accessibility was evaluated by visiting 41 museums in Istanbul using checklists consisting of 23 questions. The findings were analyzed using the content analysis method. Considering the data of the research, none of the museums met the requirements for accessibility, museums were far from providing minimum standards for individuals with physical, visual, and hearing impairments, and individuals with physical, visual, and hearing impairments were unable to visit museums due to inadequate physical conditions rather than financial constraints.

The W‐ICAD model: Redefining museum access through the Workshop for Inclusive Co‐created Audio Description

The W‐<scp>ICAD</scp> model: Redefining museum access through the Workshop for Inclusive Co‐created Audio Description

Co-design of a Voice-Driven Interactive Smart Guide for Museum Accessibility and Management

Co-design of a Voice-Driven Interactive Smart Guide for Museum Accessibility and Management

Whose culture is it anyway? Perceptions of accessibility in museums by professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities in Greece

ABSTRACT This research examines perceptions of accessibility in museums by professionals who work with people with intellectual disabilities and live in housing/rehabilitation settings in Greece and highlights factors and conditions that hinder people with intellectual disabilities from experiencing culture when visiting museums. Out of the 46 officially registered social organisations by the Hellenic Ministry of Health and the Hellenic Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs, 35 participated in the study, a percentage that allows monitoring the situation on a national level. The results showcase deficiencies in the provision of accessibility to cultural heritage with regards to information content, exhibitions and visitor experience, and participation and co-creation opportunities for this particular audience. This paper also makes policy proposals targeted at museums, aiming at enhancing accessibility to culture for people with intellectual disabilities and comes to fill a gap in the respective literature.

Which Are the Needs of People with Learning Disorders for Inclusive Museums? Design of OLOS®—An Innovative Audio-Visual Technology

This paper proposes an innovative methodology for enhancing museum accessibility and inclusivity for visitors with specific learning disorders (SLDs) using audio-visual interfaces based on patented technology. The approach involves analyzing user preferences and dyslexic students’ self-assessments through two questionnaires. This study gathered 126 responses from both SLD-certified individuals and those without intellectual disabilities for the first questionnaire and over 1300 responses exclusively from SLD-certified individuals for the second. Results suggest practical solutions such as new visual effects, gamification methods, and user-friendly informational materials linked to an AI system. These findings serve as guidelines for developing technology to improve museum accessibility, particularly for individuals with SLDs.

Accessibility and Exhibit Safety: The Importance of Sensory Maps

Museum accessibility, through audio description services, sighted guides, sensory maps/guides/social narratives, and more, is an essential part of exhibit safety and design. In the past decade, more museums recognize the importance of trigger warnings (a trigger being a sensory experience that may cause mental or physical discomfort, overload, or breakdown) for flashing lights, noise content, and movement to ensure visitors with epilepsy, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), PTSD, and mobility devices remain safe. But while more museums are developing resources and programming for neurodiverse individuals, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), many still do not understand how sensory maps, an inclusive and easy-to-create resource, are critical to visitor safety. A sensory map is an annotated layout of an exhibit, gallery, or entire museum that identifies areas with high and low sensory stimulation and the type of stimulation. Sensory overload/overstimulation can put visitors, staff, and collections at risk; sensory maps alleviate this risk by allowing visitors to self-select in or out of experiences, and in doing so, prioritize their own mental and bodily wellbeing. Highlighting how sensory maps are critical for visitor, staff, and object safety encourages museum boards of directors to allocate funding to create these resources and to seek out more funding for tailored programming and exhibit experiences. I met with accessibility professionals from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the International Spy Museum, the Houston Museum of Art, and others to share their insights about how to create accessible sensory maps (physical and digital versions) and reach out to disabled communities.

Problems of digitalisation of monuments and electronic records of museum collections

The article is devoted to the current problems of domestic museums regarding the preservation, research, and popularization of national cultural heritage under the conditions of globalization, informatization, and digital transformation of society. The author considers the advantages and problems associated with digitizing monuments and electronic accounting of museum collections. The main goal of digital accounting and digitization of exhibits is to increase accessibility and popularization of museums, to safely storage the collections, to promote their scientific analysis and to interpret and expand opportunities for educational and cultural activities, as well as to solve problems of technical, ethical, social, legal and methodological nature that arise in the process of using digital technologies in museum business. The author offers recommendations for their solution based on the analysis of world and domestic experience, scientific sources and normative documents, as well as on his own observations. The author justifies the expediency of using an electronic accounting system for museum funds, which contributes to time economy and data protection, preservation of exhibits, and facilitates filling in and access to scientific documentation. Special attention is paid to the digitization of museum collections in the conditions of martial law and the increased threat of physical destruction of museum exhibits. In this regard, the author substantiated the priority criteria for selecting fund items for digitization, formed in the form of a graphical logical sequence. The peculiarities of the human resources aspect of digitalisation are taken into account.

Accessibility and Inclusion in Museums: A Case Study of the Burrell Collection, Glasgow, UK

Accessibility and Inclusion in Museums: A Case Study of the Burrell Collection, Glasgow, UK

Cultural tourism experiences and children with disabilities: are Italian museums ready?

ABSTRACT In recent years, research on accessible and inclusive tourism has grown considerably. However, the target of families with children with disabilities and their experiences in the cultural and museum fields have been neglected. The paper addresses this research gap by exploring the level of accessibility of Italian museums in terms of facilities, services, and personnel. Museums are integral components of the cultural tourism sector, and our paper investigates whether families with children with disabilities are taken into consideration and if their needs addressed. By employing a cluster analysis, three museum clusters were identified, each presenting significant differences in attitudes towards accessibility and inclusion, ranging from the most accessible to those museums with bigger areas of improvement. The subsequent discussion dissects these findings and formulates strategic recommendations and implications that could represent an opportunity to foster inclusion within cultural institutions and propel the academic discourse on the subject.

Spatial and Information Accessibility of Museums and Places of Historical Interest: A Comparison between London and Thessaloniki

Spatial and Information Accessibility of Museums and Places of Historical Interest: A Comparison between London and Thessaloniki

Towards Inclusivity: Enhancing Access to Oman's Private Heritage House Museums for Individuals with Mobility Impairments

Objectives: This paper aims to investigate and assess the accessibility of Oman's private heritage house museums for individuals with mobility impairments. The study focuses on two case studies, namely Bait Al Zubair Museum and the Place and People Museum, to examine the level of inclusivity and the effectiveness of Omani legislation in addressing accessibility concerns. Method: The research is conducted through a comprehensive analysis of the two selected case studies. Three main areas are investigated: (a) the accessibility provided for individuals with mobility impairments, (b) the relevance of Omani legislation concerning accessibility, and (c) the extent to which these historic sites align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding inclusivity. Results: The findings indicate that although Bait Al Zubair Museum has made efforts to accommodate individuals with mobility impairments in both its external and internal environment, there are still some challenges related to internal accessibility. On the other hand, the Place and People Museum faces significant obstacles both externally and internally, significantly impeding the enriching experience for visitors with mobility impairments. Furthermore, the study highlights that while existing Omani legislation emphasizes the rights of individuals with physical disabilities, it lacks specific legislative tools and policies dedicated to accessibility in museums and heritage sites. Conclusions: This paper emphasizes the importance of enhancing inclusivity in Oman's Private Heritage House Museums for Individuals with Mobility Impairments. To achieve this, implementing comprehensive accessibility policies and collaborating with disability organizations are recommended. Additionally, creating educational programs on disability awareness can promote public understanding and sensitivity. By prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility, these museums can enrich cultural experiences for all visitors, fostering a sense of belonging and social cohesion. Aligning with the UN SDGs, such measures contribute to sustainable development and cultural preservation, ensuring equal opportunities for all individuals to access and appreciate the country's cultural heritage.

A Comparative Analysis of Museum Accessibility in High-Density Asian Cities: Case Studies from Seoul and Tokyo

We investigated the relationship between urban accessibility of museums in the urban spaces of Tokyo and Seoul within limited travel distances. Similarities and differences were identified in the museum accessibility between the two cities. The urban accessibility of museums was set as the dependent variable, calculated via space syntax. For the spatial accessibility of museums, five walking ranges (1000–2000 m) were set as independent variables, with a distance of 250 m as the basic unit. Data normality and independence of the derived data were checked, and polynomial curve fitting was performed to interpret the accessibility of museums in each city. A comparative analysis was conducted on museum accessibility. The results show areas with a high concentration of museums in Tokyo and Seoul partially deviated from the center of the urban hierarchy. The urban and spatial accessibilities of museums in both cities quantitatively correlated with limited travel distances. Museum visitors in Tokyo were more likely to have relatively free-flowing routes in the city. The museums in Seoul had a lower overall accessibility than those in Tokyo, and travel patterns and routes to these museums were likely to be restricted when located in urban areas and consequently resembled a forced movement pattern.

The Crystal-Wonder Cave System: A New Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in the Southern Cumberland Plateau of South-Central Tennessee, USA

The Crystal-Wonder Cave System developed in the Western Escarpment of the southern Cumberland Plateau in the Interior Low Plateau karst region of south-central Tennessee, USA is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity. We combined historical literature, museum accessions, and database occurrences with new observations from bio-inventory efforts conducted between 2005 and 2022 to compile an updated list of troglobiotic and stygobiotic biodiversity for the Crystal-Wonder Cave System. The list of cave-limited fauna includes 31 species (23 troglobionts and 8 stygobionts) with 28 and 18 species documented from the Crystal and Wonder caves, respectively, which represents five phyla, ten classes, nineteen orders, and twenty-six families (six arachnids, three springtails, two diplurans, three millipedes, six insects, three terrestrial snails, one flatworm, five crustaceans, and two vertebrates, respectively). The Crystal-Wonder Cave System is the type locality for six species—Anillinus longiceps, Pseudanophthalmus humeralis, P. intermedius, Ptomaphagus hatchi, Tolus appalachius, and Chitrella archeri. The carabid beetle Anillinus longiceps is endemic to the Crystal-Wonder Cave System. Sixteen species are of conservation concern, including twelve taxa with NatureServe conservation ranks of G1–G3. The exceptional diversity of the Crystal-Wonder Cave System has been associated with several factors, including a high dispersal potential of cave fauna associated with expansive karst exposures along the Western Escarpment of the southern Cumberland Plateau, a high surface productivity, and a favorable climate throughout the Pleistocene.

Fern Cave: A Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in the Interior Low Plateau Karst Region of Alabama in the Southeastern United States

The Fern Cave System, developed in the western escarpment of the Southern Cumberland Plateau of the Interior Low Plateau karst region in Northeastern Alabama, USA, is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity as well as home to the largest winter hibernaculum for the federally endangered Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens). We combined the existing literature, museum accessions, and database occurrences with new observations from bioinventory efforts conducted in 2018–2022 to generate an updated list of troglobiotic and stygobiotic species for the Fern Cave System. Our list of cave-limited fauna totals twenty-seven species, including nineteen troglobionts and eight stygobionts. Two pseudoscorpions are endemic to the Fern Cave System: Tyrannochthonius torodei and Alabamocreagris mortis. The exceptional diversity at Fern Cave is likely associated with several factors, such as the high dispersal potential of cave fauna associated with expansive karst exposures along the Southern Cumberland Plateau, high surface productivity, organic input from a large bat colony, favorable climate throughout the Pleistocene, and location within a larger regional hotspot of subterranean biodiversity. Nine species are of conservation concern, including the recently discovered Alabama cave shrimp Palaemonias alabamae, because of their small range sizes, few occurrences, and several potential threats.

The Future of Accessible Museums: Qualitative Analysis on Educational Practices

When the tourism policies of the countries were examined, it can be seen that that a very limited number of countries have knowledge and practices on accessible tourism. Museums, which are the most important building blocks of tourism, play an important role in both the creation of accessible tourism and the socialization of all individuals in society. Ensuring the accessibility of museums, which also makes important contributions to cultural sustainability, can be effective in shaping the museums of the future. In this context, the aim of this research was to evaluate the accessible museums of the future in terms of the views of teacher candidates trained in museums and lecturers taught and experienced in special education and to make recommendations. The sample group of the research consists of teacher candidates trained in museums (n=20) and lecturers taught and experienced in special education (n=22). The research data were carried out with the Phenomenology model which is one of the qualitative research methods. The data was collected through a semi-structured interview form. The data were analyzed by descriptive method. Research findings revealed that the interviewees think that accesible musems of the future have deficiency in time-space concept, the creation of virtual environments and digital infrastructures. In addition, they stated that there are deficiencies in accessing museums such as digital tools, architectural infrastructure, and virtual museums, and that these should be eliminated, and necessary stakeholders should be trained. Within the scope of the research, it is recommended that subject experts should provide training on accessibility to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, officials and workers in museums, in archaeological sites and in historical places by taking the results of this study into consideration. Also, in order to obtain a permit for a new museum, ensuring the necessary mentioned conditions must become an important necessity. These will lead to a smooth accesibilty to museums for all stakeholers.

Research on Museum Accessibility for the Visually Impaired

As a public cultural institution, the task of museum accessibility is particularly important. Visual is the main source of information reception when visually impaired groups visit museums, and they have certain difficulties in finding, viewing and organizing visual information, which affects the formation of representations of collections in the brain. The survey results show that the infrastructure accessibility of museums is not perfect, information accessibility needs to be strengthened, and more importantly, psychological accessibility should be achieved.

La participation des groupes communautaires au musée : quelles logiques et pour quels effets ? Le cas de l’exposition InterReconnaissance à l’Écomusée du fier monde

Begun in 2018, the action-research project Accessibilité des publics marginalisés au musée: des outils adaptés (Museum accessibility for marginalized publics: adapted tools) wished to include the publics in a reflection on inclusion in the museum. The initiative was undertaken after a research project InterReconnaissance, La mémoire des droits dans le milieu communautaire au Québec (2012-2017), as well as the InterReconnaissance, une mémoire citoyenne se raconte exhibition (Écomusée du fier monde, 2018-2019). This vast endeavour explored “the stories behind the story,” that is, the battles to defend and promote minority group rights since the 1960s. The research-action project was based on the observation that the museal milieu faced a lack of knowledge, experience and resources to conceive accessibility for certain groups, most notably people living with mental health issues, handicaps and issues related to recent immigration. It was also necessary to make the exhibition accessible to communities within it and involved in its realization. This wish guided the team, composed of researchers, an artist and a cultural mediator, to consult with three groups concerned with mobilizing community networks and defending rights historically constituted and organized around, by and for these populations. This step then led to the creation and realization of cultural mediation activities adapted and developed in conjunction with the community movement. Two stances characterized the project. While they are not mutually exclusive, they delineate the trends that can shed a novel light on the actions and role of museums. The first is defined by an anthropological research approach that allows the recounting of history through the memory of its principal actors. It is also revealed by the polyphonic approach of the exhibition and the validation of these people, their actions and their impact on Quebec society. The exhibition thus makes another history visible and promotes acknowledgement of it by bringing it into the museum, contributing to the defense of rights. The other rationale is rooted in a consideration of the conditions encouraging museum visits by the most marginalized groups through concerted action with community organizations. It is the foundation of a variety of strategies adopted to create an activity of cultural mediation and co-creation to meet the needs and wishes of the invitees, as well as contributing to an activity that is meaningful for the groups, by pursuing the goals of appropriating and transmitting knowledge, but also self-emancipation and self-expression. Here, the project is based more on a logic of inclusion that museums have increasingly adopted in recent years. In this article, we propose a theoretical exploration of these two approaches. It also allows us to analyze the participation of the publics in light of the principles of the museal tradition of ecomuseology. In addition to painting a reflective and critical portrait of our action and the project we have dedicated ourselves to in recent years, we think that this work will encourage reflection on the effect of different participatory modes of the publics at the museum, particularly groups experiencing exclusion. We also hope that it will help illuminate museal action and the various possible dimensions of the museum’s social role.

L’accueil au musée des publics en situation de handicap ou le long chemin vers un musée accessible

The new definition of a museum put forward in 2022 by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) affirms the importance of a museum “open to the public, accessible and inclusive” and that “fosters diversity and sustainability”: the principles of accessibility, inclusion and participation are becoming a requirement as new norms for a museal institution and the evolution of its role and missions. They embody the necessary conditions to dust off the image of a cloistered museum, disconnected from its publics, and to build a welcoming museum space for active engagement with all publics. Still, beyond the affirmation of this political discourse, accessibility, whether seen by professionals as an injunction or a conviction, indeed an opportunity, is lagging; a study conducted in France in 2017 on accessibility to the culture for people with disabilities shows a number of difficulties in accessing culture, which throws the museal offer into question: how is the accessible offer structured for visitors with disabilities? And what is its participatory scope? To answer these questions, this article proposes to outline the content and evolution of this offer. Thus, firstly, the aim is to describe and present the sociopolitical and ideological context of museum accessibility in France; it looks back at the influence of cultural democratization as well as the emergence of inclusive pressure and accessibility, bolstered since 1975 by a legal framework. Secondly, the article will focus on the evolution of welcoming publics with disabilities and the variety of arrangements made to unite accessibility and participation.

시각장애인의 박물관 접근성 확대 방안 연구

The purpose of this study is to suggest concrete ways to increase museum accessibility for the visual impairment, the most vulnerable group, so that the museum can be accessible to people with or without disabilities. The visual impairment is also a representative of cultural alienated in museums where most of exhibitions are visually oriented. Investigate the demands of visually impairment who want to visit museums and analyze new exhibition aids for the visual impairment set up by national museums. The exhibition method that is equally set up for the visual impairment from the standpoint of general visitors is discussed and proposed the policy. In addition, including the necessity and possibility of preparing an exhibition considering the visual impairment, the exhibition using Lee Eungno's &lt;People&gt; is examined. This study meaningful in suggesting the possibility of an exhibition that considering the visual impairment as a part of an lower the physical and psychological barriers of the museum.

Adult learning enrichment for people living with dementia and their caregivers: Early observations of introducing andragogic principles in adapting an existing museum-based program.

Face-to-face community engagement for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers was drastically reduced by the pandemic. In response to these restrictions, the Portals to the World program (based in Cambridge, England) was adapted from museum-based to a virtual setting. This environmental change reduced the existing anchors of museum access, art enrichment, and one-to-one engagement with staff and volunteers. Our adaptations to this new environment stressed a more andragogic (adult learning) model of enrichment that built on our existing program. We moved away from art-making and in-person gallery engagement with subject specialists but kept our multi-week course design. We prioritized purposeful learning, ownership, layers of experience, and immediate value (usually with emerging research topics or contemporary exhibitions). These added layers of learning replaced the environmental anchors we had used in the past. We also addressed challenges linked to the virtual environment and other impairments present for the participants, such as vision and hearing. Throughout, we aimed to continue the sense of non-traditional respite, improving the connection between care partners, peer-to-peer engagement, as well as access to high-value museum objects and learning from subject specialists. Our early observations and continued developments reveal advantages and disadvantages in delivery and expectations. These observations highlight contradictions in caregiver expectations between their understanding of dementia and learning. There were also challenges in where value should be placed: social capital, identity capital or economic capital, all while holding high value in access to the program and the course itself.