This mission of the project was to interrogate inclusive design, accessibility systems, and frameworks to improve the experiences of visitors with visual impairments in galleries and museums. Our research aim was to canvas as many views of the wider visually impaired community to guide our robust framework to making the gallery and museum space more accessible, inclusive and comfortable. This project was born from initial discussions with team member and blind artist Kimberley Burrows, who shared her first-hand experiences visiting art galleries and museums over the past decade.
There has been noticeable inconsistencies in sighted guide assistance, touch tours, way-finding, and labels/object information available in an accessible format. This research publication includes audits and reviews of selected art galleries and museums in London, interviews with blind and visually impaired artists and museum volunteers, a survey investigating other blind visitors' experiences, and a resulting charter that museums and art galleries could sign up to to improve the overall experience of visually impaired people in their space.
