Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Early in my career I worked in Social Services with hearing and visually impaired people. It was often said that being deaf can cut you off from people but being blind can cut you off from beautiful things. So, when I started working in museums I was determined to find ways of making paintings and objects accessible for all. In my role as Learning Officer for primary schools (ages 4 - 11) at the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford, I have experimented with different materials and techniques to create inclusive sessions for children with visual impairment. This paper explores touch and inquiry based learning, which helps all children to understand objects and paintings. In all our taught gallery workshops children either handle original artefacts, replicas, or 3D printed items. The addition of visual description, raised images, smells, sounds, drama and tactile art activities facilitate inclusion for visually impaired children.