ERIC Number: EJ1355625
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1059-8650
EISSN: N/A
Devisualizing the Museum: From Access to Inclusion
Eardley, Alison F.; Thompson, Hannah; Fineman, Anna; Hutchinson, Rachel; Bywood, Lindsay; Cock, Matthew
Journal of Museum Education, v47 n2 p150-165 2022
The experience of visiting a museum exhibition is inherently visual. Although blind and partially blind people are increasingly offered some access to collections through audio and tactile content and inventive and accessible programming, these initiatives are infrequent and often assume that the goal is to replace or compensate for the visitor's lack of sight. We argue that this approach to access is underpinned by ableism. Drawing on four recent initiatives -- an inclusive virtual visit, a digital audio-described tour, inclusive creation and engagement workshops, and the co-creation of inclusive content -- we suggest that it is only when access initiatives are placed at the center of museums' offerings, taken seriously as artistic endeavors, and created with, offered to and enjoyed by both blind and non-blind visitors, that museums will move beyond their (often unwitting) ocularcentric assumptions towards a truly inclusive enriched experience for all.
Descriptors: Museums, Design, Accessibility (for Disabled), Visual Impairments, Blindness, Attitudes toward Disabilities, Inclusion, Exhibits, Foreign Countries, Workshops, Listening, Painting (Visual Arts), Gardening
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (London)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A