While the newest technology could enhance museum experiences to exciting realms we could only dream of in the past, it is always important to think about how all different types of visitors can not only access but also enjoy the same exhibitions. Museums can be spaces to learn, to relax, and to hang out with family and friends, and they provide opportunities that should be available to people with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities. Not only are there common practices to make museum content accessible, there are also new technologies and various programming specifically designed to improve the experiences of visitors with disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 legally requires museums, which count as a public accomodation, to be accessible to all visitors, as a failure to allow individuals access to the space is considered discrimination.18 19 The aspect of accessibility most often addressed is that to do with wheelchair users.20 Like most buildings open to the public, the Peabody Museum has ramps and elevators,(See Fig. 4.1) providing access to all parts of the building to wheelchair users.21 In addition, the Peabody has a small number of wheelchairs to rent free of charge. These features not only benefit those with physical disabilities, but also older adults who may find stairs difficult to use.
Considering the fact that the Peabody’s current structure, which was constructed in 1925,22 was not originally built with these visitors in mind, it has done well to provide resources for wheelchair users. However, accessibility programs at other museums have more creative ways to accommodate physically disabled visitors. Many of these spaces were specifically built to have a universal design, a design that benefits all people whether they have disabilities or not.23 The Smithsonian Institution exhibit excellent examples of universal design. In her article “Universal Design and the Museum,” Dr. Aimi Hamraie analyzes “America on the Move,” a transportation exhibit at National Museum of American History. She points out the universal design features are “seamlessly integrated into the design of the exhibit that you will not notice them unless you know what you are looking for.” These include subtle ramps leading into various transportation vehicles on display, removed seating from the same vehicles to allow enough space to enter, and wheelchair space in the front row of the theater.(See Fig. 4.2) In addition, museum displays and interactive elements are placed at a height and angle that gives access to wheelchair users and young children as well. These features do not intrude on the experience of other visitors and may benefit them, too.
With the Peabody’s new renovation, there are many opportunities to rethink how the space is designed for every visitor. Additionally, with more dynamic exhibit spaces, it is increasingly important to actively consider the concept of universal design.
As mentioned in previous sections, recent technology provides many new and exciting possibilities for maps and navigation tools. This, along with a few older methods, can greatly benefit those with disabilities or those who do not read the language of the museum. Conventionally, most museums have wall-mounted maps and directional signs. Some provide paper maps and guides, which allow for variation when temporary exhibits change or special events occur. These maps are usually created with the average visitor in mind. However, there are a few good examples of how navigational tools are made more accessible.
While many museums mark wheelchair accessible entrances and routes on their main map, The Smithsonian Institution offers a variety of separate maps online to download and print or to pick up at information desks.24 These include an accessibility map that detail wheelchair accessible entrances, curb cuts, paved walkways, and designated parking spots around each museum25 and wheelchair and scooter rental information within and around the museums. This is most likely due to the fact that the Smithsonian Institution includes multiple separate museums. Even so, providing maps and resources specifically designed to aid people with physical disabilities can make them less cluttered with information and easier to use.
Museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art provide maps and guides in many other languages. By doing so, these museums include audiences from a variety of places and cultures. Two years ago, after its rebrand, the Met released a new set of maps.(See Fig. 4.3) Along with this, they focussed on creating and equally accessible digital version using Living Map’s software, which is similar to Google Maps and uses text labels separate from the map image.26 Using this technology, the Met’s digital map is not only much more user-friendly with multiple zoom levels, but also can provide translations to other languages in a much easier and more dynamic way.
In addition to navigation tools for wheelchair users and multilingual visitors, the Smithsonian and many large museums across the globe also offer braille or large print maps and guides for blind or partially sighted visitors.27 These not only can help these visitors navigate the museum space, but also can often provide information about the exhibit that they would not be able to read from labels on the wall. Some museums such as the Science Museum, London and the National Air & Space Museum28 even offer tactile maps,(See Fig. 4.4) in which the walls and exhibit spaces are marked with raised or textured lines and areas that can be understood through touch. Companies such as TacMap and Touch Graphics specialize in making this type of map, which can be handheld, wall-mounted, or placed a kiosk.
Earlier mentioned location based navigation tools using bluetooth beacons, such as the Orb, have great potential to incorporate various accessibility features. According to one of its creators, Lance Chantiles-Wertz, the Orb has the ability to personalize information such as prefered language and wheelchair use. This information can be used in conjunction with audio directions to provide useful navigation to all different types of visitors.
Other new technologies can also be combined with these navigation tools to help visitors with disabilities. Companies such as Microsoft have used computer vision, infrared sensors, and AI image analysis to build devices that can help blind and partially sighted individuals navigate their surroundings.29 These devices analyze the environment and use synthesized speech, different sounds,30 or haptic feedback31 to direct the user. Researchers have developed a variety ways to haptically communicate directions. At Yale, Dr. Adam Spiers of the GRAB Lab developed a cube-shaped handheld device that gave turn-by-turn navigation directions by rotating and extending.(See Fig. 4.5)32 The technology used in these types of devices could be used in museums as well.
In a museum setting, where the layout is known and relatively stable, there is little need for environment analysis. Using location-based technology such as bluetooth beacons, blind or partially sighted visitors could be given spoken or haptic directions in response to their position in the museum. These directions not only help these particular visitors, but also can potentially guide sighted visitors to increase the level of engagement with the physical collections.
Audio guides are a relatively common feature for museums; the Peabody already has a high-quality, well-produced tour.33 These guides have great potential in allowing blind or partially sighted visitors to enjoy and engage with the collections. These audio tours could be marked with braille labels on the exhibits or on a braille handheld guide.(See Fig. 4.6) Even better, location-based technology such as bluetooth beacons are being used to determine the correct audio clip to play in front of certain items. As previously mentioned,34 the SFMOMA uses an app like this.35 36 This guide is designed to keep screens away while looking at the museum’s collection, but is perfect to help blind and partially sighted visitors use the audio guides as well.
Though there are many benefits of a good audio tour, it is important to consider how deaf, hard-of-hearing, or non-English speakers can use them. Transcripts and technology supporting assistive listening devices should be provided alongside the audio tours. Translated tours or transcripts should also be provided if resources allow. The Met offers audio tours in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish,37 and continues to expand the quality and coverage of their foreign language tours.38 This could be a worthwhile investment for the Peabody to include more types of visitors.
Similarly to audio guides, special tours and programming specifically geared toward certain audiences can significantly enhance a museum visit. Art museums and galleries like Uffizi Gallery and the MoMA provide verbal description and touch tours for blind and partially sighted visitors.39 40 These tours involve a sighted guide describing every detail in the art, from the subject to the background to the texture of the paint and to the color of each element. For the touch tours, visitors may touch certain sculptures with gloves on, as well as tactile images renderings of and three-dimensional renderings of various paintings.(See Fig. 4.7) These techniques could be easily adopted by the Peabody Museum by adding more touchable items and three-dimensional models. In fact, there is already a small-scale implementation of touchable models in the Human Origins exhibit, where there are brass skulls available to visitors. Considering the Peabody’s large volume of detailed scans of its artifacts, 3D printing and casting durable models is certainly feasible, and is already being done for use inside of exhibits. Not only would expanding these offerings to a tactile implementation be beneficial to blind or partially sighted individuals, but it would also be an exciting interactive element for children and other visitors in general.
For deaf or hard-of-hearing visitors, many museums provide sign-language tours. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston also provides a mobile guide with a recorded video sign-language tour, which is equivalent to an audio guide made accessible to deaf visitors.41 Programs such as these are important to allow visitors with disabilities to feel welcome and included and to have a meaningful visit.
Accessibility is complex but extremely important to think about with regards to museum experience. There are many tools, old and new, that could be used by the Peabody to be more inclusive and engaging to multiple different types of audiences. With the Peabody renovation and the opportunity for new interactive technology, it is essential that we think about the museum’s use by all visitors.