April 5 2023
Most of them are in their 40s and only knew that museums existed. They considered that the museum was not for them, because of their mobility difficulties or other disabilities. In order for them to enjoy this new experience, we adapted the activities from the museum education program within the project Gods and Mortals of Ancient Egypt, but also the visit to the exhibition The histories of Cluj .
"I have emotions," Csilla told us, one of the 11 visitors Providence day center for young people with disabilities, as he carefully climbed the stairs to the exhibitions. This showed us that we still have a long way to go before museums can claim to offer fully accessible and inclusive experiences for people with disabilities, but the way forward is clear! We need to move beyond a culture of compliance – where access is viewed primarily in terms of meeting minimum standards required by law. With all the effort to organize the visit, the experience was worth it! The exclamations of delight in front of the exhibits and in the hands-on activity show that it is worth trying to find ways to make the museum accessible to those who only know it exists.
