Istanbul Through the Lens of Museums
Participants in the programme visited, among other things, the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, Pera Museum, ARTER, Rahmi M. Koç Museum and Sadberk Hanım Museum. Most of the classes took place at ANAMED, the Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations.
We were impressed by the diversity of the collections on display and by the quality of the exhibitions, which are often accompanied by accessible features and multimedia attractions, such as the use of VR
– says Dr Adam Drozdowski.
The programme participants not only viewed the exhibitions but also analysed the ways in which collections were presented and examined the barriers that visitors might encounter. Working in international teams, they prepared reports, recordings, exhibition concepts and proposals for educational improvements.
One of the students’ tasks was to design solutions that would enable people to experience art through different senses. The use of audio description, tactile graphics, sound-based materials and virtual reality were among the proposed ideas.
The trip also enabled Prof. Pawłowska and Dr Drozdowski to further develop their joint research on cultural accessibility and multisensory museum experiences.
Accessibility Is More Than a Ramp
When we think about an accessible museum, we usually imagine a ramp, a lift and a wide entrance. These elements are important, but they are not enough.
The contemporary understanding of museum accessibility includes at least several overlapping layers
– explains Dr Drozdowski.
One of them is sensory accessibility. Visually impaired and partially sighted visitors may benefit from audio description, tactile models and tactile graphics, that is, raised representations of artworks. For Deaf visitors, sign language interpretation and subtitles for films and recordings are essential. Cognitive accessibility is equally important.
A major challenge may be the highly specialised language used to construct the exhibition narrative and describe individual works
– the researcher notes.
Easy-to-read texts, clear explanatory materials and simplified visitor routes can make a museum visit more accessible. Such solutions may support people with intellectual disabilities, autistic visitors, older adults, children and tourists with limited knowledge of the language.
The Visit Begins Before Entering the Building
A museum should also be accessible online so that visitors can easily find information about how to get there, where the entrance, toilets, cloakroom and ticket office are located, and whether audio description, sign language interpretation or assistance services are available. Such information allows people to plan their visit with confidence and reduces the stress associated with entering an unfamiliar building.
Barriers Can Affect Anyone
Difficulties in accessing museums are not limited to people with physical disabilities. Older adults, parents with young children, neurodivergent individuals, international visitors and people experiencing financial hardship may also face obstacles. The price of admission, a lack of clear information or the perception that museums are places intended only for experts can all become barriers. Even someone who rarely visits museums and is unsure of the expected behaviour may feel uncomfortable.
Staff Attitudes Matter Too
Even the best equipment will not help if museum staff do not know how to communicate with a diverse range of visitors.
People who use different forms of support should feel that they are full participants in cultural life and welcome guests, rather than clients requiring ‘special assistance’
– underlines Dr Drozdowski.
Museum as a Place of Encounter
Today’s museum is no longer merely a place for storing and displaying heritage objects. Increasingly, it is also expected to educate, foster dialogue and respond to issues that matter to society.
According to Dr Drozdowski, there is no need to look far for good examples. During an exhibition devoted to Józef Hecht, the Museum of the City of Lodz prepared cast replicas of sculptures that visitors were allowed to touch. Meanwhile, Museum of Art continuously creates handcrafted tactile graphics used during educational activities. Cultural institutions in Lodz also cooperate with students who are learning how to prepare audio descriptions of works of art.
When treated seriously, museum accessibility is not a checklist of technical facilities, but rather a question of whom the museum exists for and whose experience of art it seeks to address
– concludes the researcher.
An accessible museum is therefore not merely a building that people can enter. It is a place where everyone can understand an exhibition, engage with art in their own way and feel genuinely welcome.
Source: Dr Adam Drozdowski
Edit: Kacper Szczepaniak, Centre for Brand Communications
