Accessible Museums for Visually Impaired: A Case Study from Istanbul

Abstract

Freedom to travel is a fundamental human right. Thus, disabled people should be able to travel. Disabilities are divided into subcategories, whereby vision disability is one of them. In the context of museums, there are some implementations for visually disabled people. However, there is still limited empirical investigation on the expectations, satisfaction, and challenges of visually impaired travelers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the expectations, needs, and challenges of visually impaired people visiting museums. In this vein, the study draws on a qualitative research approach employing data from visually impaired individuals to understand those individuals' perceptions, needs, and challenges. The study offers several practical implications to help museum managers enhance the experience of visually impaired visitors.

The Future of Accessible Museums: Qualitative Analysis on Educational Practices

“…At this point, the views in the studies also supported this finding. Studies mentioned that it was important to create virtual museums that contain the collections in order to ensure that museum collections can be accessed under equal conditions for all individuals in the society from every place and environment (Dincer et al, 2019). Again, within the scope of the first sub-goal, the participants associated the concept of accessible museum with museum architecture and the presentation of equal opportunities.…”

“…These findings are in line with the views in the literature. In the literature, it was stated that objects that represent a combined or original work for visually impaired individuals are needed (Yesilyurt, 2014), and audio guide systems are important for disabled individuals to experience museum visits (Dincer et al, 2019). In addition, it was mentioned in the literature that mobile devices had an important place in the lives of individuals, and it was seen as one of the most important applications for all individuals to gain experience with museums and integrating museums with technology (Akca, 2020).…”

“…In the researches, it was mentioned that the preparation of documents giving information about the works in braille alphabet will facilitate the access of the visually impaired individuals to information (Yumuk & Kocoglu, 2020). Again, it was pointed out in the literature that museum personnel avoided communicating with disabled individuals (Dincer, 2019) and did not have sufficient information about the areas arranged for the disabled, and this deficiency should be eliminated (Poria & Brandt, 2009).…”

“…Especially digital applications (virtual museum, virtual reality, etc. ) are insufficient in terms of accessibility in museums, and the architectural infrastructure in museums has not been designed with special walking areas and ramps (Dincer et al, 2019). There are deficiencies in audio guide systems to promote museum collections; there are no copies of works that visually impaired individuals can touch, and many technological difficulties experienced in hardware are obstacles that are difficult to overcome (Sen et al, 2014).…”

Beyond “do not touch”: the experience of a three-dimensional printed artifacts museum as an alternative to traditional museums for visitors who are blind and partially sighted

“…The results showed that the priority needs for museum visitors who are BPS were (a) exhibitions and collections accessible, for example, tactilely or auditorily, and (b) assistance and interpretation by museum staff and volunteers. Istanbullu Dincer et al [ 8 ] aimed to identify the needs, challenges, and satisfaction level of people who are BPS during museum visits. Findings showed that participants generally mentioned problematic accessibility issues such as the lack of multisensory experiences, that is, tactile, auditory, and olfactory access; the lack of arrangements allowing a museum visit without a companion; and the participants’ expectations regarding the alleviation of these issues.…”