Bergbaumuseum Oelsnitz/Erzgebirge

Supporting the accessibility process

Thinking, organising and implementing inclusively, exploring the sense of touch and the multisensory environment, communicating on accessibility, training staff – these two very rich days were an opportunity to support the Museum in its project and facilitate dialogue between the various stakeholders.

Organised in four half-day modules, the programme brought together user groups and accessibility service providers from the region – several of whom were themselves disabled – and museum staff to question existing practices and develop new ideas.

Technical modules – and practical ones

Theoretical and practical – the modules allowed everyone to question themselves through practice and exchange. We particularly emphasised accessibility, the multisensory environment and its design, the issues and the specifics of the sense of touch. Equally we gave attention to the maintenance of tactile stations, the training of museum staff, how to communicate provision for accessibility and the itineraries of visits.

Two of the modules focussed on the tactile stations themselves: a sectioned view of the mining site, planned for the museum’s next exhibition; and a station created by Tactile Studio for the exterior of the Museum.