Exhibit Design Relating to Low Vision and Blindness: What Visitors with Vision Loss Want Museums and Parks to Know about Effective Communication

Discussion

“ . . . it's believing that you can have a quality experience by yourself . . . But I guess I don't believe that there's [sic] very many exhibits where that can happen.” For museums and parks, the challenge in that statement is clearly what we need to address if we are to provide effective communication and a meaningful experience to visitors who are blind or have low vision.

The focus group met the study goals. The participants shared a wealth of information so museum and park professionals can understand the usability of alternative formats; identify characteristics of effective tactile graphics, maps, models, and wayfinding; determine user preferences for exhibition audio description; and understand characteristics of enjoyable museum or park visits. Other discussion topics provided additional guidance on key aspects of effective communication.

Visitors who are blind or have low vision want Braille and audio versions of publications that meet established standards. They like having information available on museum websites that is downloadable to their own assistive technology devices. Although there are no standards yet for museum exhibition tactile models or graphics, the participants’ comments on the exhibit components they reviewed are useful for conceptualizing what should be included in any future standards. Audio is a powerful addition to tactile exhibits but the visitor should be able to control the audio delivery. Prototype testing with people who are blind or have low vision is one of the only ways to know if you have created an effective tactile or audio experience.

Positive museum and park experiences have some commonalities: visitor independence in movement and thought; tactile opportunities with real objects if one doesn’t have to wear gloves; the availability of replicas; emotional impact of the visit experience; experiential learning opportunities; and museum and park staff who are trained on accessibility and are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge. What the focus group participants shared about effective communication and meaningful experiences seems achievable by museum and park staff.