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<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><br>
<a href="https://www.afar.com/magazine/the-dot-experience-wants-to-be-the-most-accessible-museum">
Original Source</a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.afar.com/travel-inspiration">Travel
Inspiration</a>
<a href="https://www.afar.com/travel-inspiration/art-and-culture">Art +
Culture</a><br><br>
<i>By <a href="https://www.afar.com/authors/leona-godin">M. Leona
Godin</a><br>
</i><br>
<i> <br>
</i><br>
<i> January 03, 2025<br><br>
</i><br>
<h1><b>The Quest to Create the Most Accessible Museum in the
World</b></h1><br><br>
<i><br><br>
<br><br>
</i><h2><b>The refreshed museum of the American Printing House for the
Blind in Louisville, Kentucky, is slated to open in 2026 with a novel
invitation to visitors: please touch.</b></h2><i><br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<img src="cid:image001.png@01DB629A.A02D4A90" width=900 height=600 alt="Woman in orange shirt touches large incense burner on tabletop,">
<br><br>
A diverse team of blind and low-vision prototypers worked with
<a href="https://www.aph.org/blog/solid-light-sets-the-stage-for-inclusivity/">
Solid Light</a>, the exhibit design firm that is helping the Dot
Experience set new standards in museum accessibility. <br><br>
Courtesy of the American Printing House for the Blind<br><br>
The first time I ever touched a historical artifact was in the Egyptian
wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Running my
fingers over the ancient hieroglyphics carved into the sarcophagus felt
transgressive and delicious. A security guard had given only me
permission, and my sighted partner observed that other visitors watched
with a mixture of fascination and envy. While many museums now offer
âtouch toursâ for blind visitors, which may include opportunities to
interact with art and artifacts using 3D models or tactile images, these
typically offer access to only a tiny fraction of a museumâs
collections and occur only occasionally. For most cultural institutions,
accessibility remains an afterthought.<br><br>
Enter <a href="https://thedotexperience.org/">the Dot Experience</a>: the
forthcoming, completely redesigned, and expanded museum of the
<a href="https://www.aph.org/">American Printing House for the Blind
(APH)</a> in Louisville, Kentucky, which aims to become the most
accessible museum in the world. Slated to open in 2026, the Dot
Experience will chronicle APHâs long history and introduce visitors to
the struggles and successes of historic and contemporary blind people
through the excitement of an attraction, the behind-the-scenes insight of
a factory tour, and the deep knowledge of an educational center. At its
heart is a commitment to inclusivity, inviting visitors to rethink
perceptions and biases regarding blindness and to help reimagine a more
equitable world.<br><br>
The Dot Experience is named for Louis Brailleâs revolutionary tactile
reading and writing system, a fitting tribute from an organization that
has been manufacturing Braille books and accessibility tools since 1858.
The blend of history and modern innovation at APH extends to the Dot
Experience, where the first-person accounts of everyday blind
peoplestudents, artists, advocates, innovatorsintersect withh those of
historic and iconic blind figures. Among its artifacts are an extremely
rare copy of Brailleâs 1829 book that introduced his tactile reading
system, a piano that Stevie Wonder played at the Michigan School for the
Blind, and Helen Kellerâs personal desk and Bible.<br><br>
<div align="center">One reason most museums maintain a strict âdo not
touchâ policy is to preserve artifacts; frequent handling accelerates
wear and degradation. For blind visitors, this can feel alienating.<br>
</div>
<br>
One reason most museums maintain a strict âdo not touchâ policy is to
preserve artifacts; frequent handling accelerates wear and degradation.
For blind visitors, this can feel alienatinga barrier to cconnecting
with the history and culture behind those glass cases. The Dot Experience
addresses this challenge by creating accessible, multisensory
experiences, such as media pods and 3D replicas, throughout the
museum.<br><br>
âIn most museums, if a curator were designing a tour for blind
visitors, they might select two or three objects to replicate out of an
entire gallery,â says Jo Haas, vice president for museum advancement.
At the Dot Experience, all exhibits in the 28,000-square-foot museum will
feature a tactile componentwhether reeplicas or sturdier
originals.<br><br>
This ethos of inclusivity extends to every step of the design process. A
diverse team of blind and low-vision prototypers offers feedback to
<a href="https://www.aph.org/blog/solid-light-sets-the-stage-for-inclusivity/">
Solid Light</a>, the exhibit design firm that is helping the Dot
Experience set new standards in museum accessibility. When prototypers
tested a replica of Helen Kellerâs silver scroll holdera gift from
Indiaait was initially mounted flat. This made it difficult to feel its
full dimensions. At their suggestion, the design team remounted it with
pins, enabling visitors to put their hands all the way around it.
Similarly, the scrollâs engraved text was found to be too small to be
appreciated by touch, so the replica was reimagined with embossed
characters instead. In this iterative process, everyone involved is
learning the complexities of creating an inclusive multisensory
experience.<br><br>
Inclusive design at the Dot Experience doesn't stop at 3D replicas. From
tactile maps and Braille wall text to ASL interpretation, audio guides,
and wheelchair-friendly pathways, the museum is shaping what a truly
inclusive cultural space can be. âWhatâs groundbreaking,â Haas
says, âisnât just the use of replicasitâs that every printed sign
has a Braille companion piece, right there alongside it. It allows you to
come in and have autonomy in what you're interested in exploring.â This
autonomy is rare and delightful, especially for blind visitors like me
who have often been limited to a few select objects in
galleries.<br><br>
Access isn't just about compliance. When prioritized, it can inspire
creativity and enhance the experience for all museumgoers. As those
onlookers in the Egyptian gallery at the Met suggest, blind visitors
won't be the only ones who will enjoy interacting with the many 3D
models. âEven if you can see it, you canât touch it,â Haas says.
And thatâs the brilliance of the Dot Experience: what begins as access
for one group often benefits everyone. Think of curb cuts, originally
designed for wheelchair users but now essential for strollers and
suitcases. Or audio-described films, created for blind audiences but
enjoyed by professional drivers and multitaskers.<br><br>
By being born accessible, the Dot Experience is modeling a future where
museums embrace multimodal and multisensory design as well as diverse and
inclusive programming. In advance of its opening in 2026, Haas and others
at the Dot Experience plan extensive outreach in the Louisville community
and beyond. âPart of the work that we will also do in 2025 is really
begin to expand the awareness that people have about this project,â
Haas tells me. What they are learning and demonstrating through this
process is ânot just about museum things.â Cultural, entertainment,
and educational centers alike can benefit from the approach the Dot
Experience is taking toward accessibility and inclusive design.
Reflecting on the potential influence of the museum, Haas's enthusiasm
feels galvanizing: âWouldnât it be amazing if we actually spurred a
change? Or an update in policy?â<br><br>
<a href="https://www.afar.com/authors/leona-godin">M. Leona
Godin</a><br><br>
M. Leona Godin is the author of There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural
History of Blindness</i> and the founder of <i>Aromatica Poetica</i>, an
arts and culture laboratory for the advancement of smell and taste. She
creates multisensory performance journeys that explore the rich
potentials of synesthesia and disability aesthetics, and she is a
curatorial researcher for the forthcoming Museum of the Blind People's
Movement. Her writing has appeared in such venues as <i>The New York
Times</i>, <i>O Magazine</i>, <i>Literary Hub</i>, and
<i>ARTnews.</i></blockquote></body>
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