Seventeenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum

Abstract

The definition of a museum is constantly being updated in line with the times, with inclusion and accessibility being the main missions assigned to museums by contemporary society. While many museums have improved their accessibility or are making efforts for that, it can be challenging for those with sensory impairments to access information and figure out which inclusive museums are open to them. This study documents cases of inclusive museums providing content accessibility services for people with sensory impairments (PSI) in Italy as well as several typical international museums that signify the authority on accessible experiences, to offer systematic information about current accessible museum services for PSI. All kinds of museums, regardless of the content they display, are taken into account in this study. On this basis, a framework for categorizing accessible museums featuring different multi-sensory experiences is created, which can serve as a paradigm of accessibility for other museums to follow as well as a list of good practices for researchers to study. Desktop research methodology is adopted to collect excellent practices with thematic analysis to develop the framework. Additionally, the framework can also be used for unrecognized inclusive museums to create a personal profile to be known by more people with sensory impairments. This study will therefore be of significance for the popularization of museum accessibility in general and the promotion of social and cultural inclusiveness.