Chia-Yi LIN
National Museum of Taiwan History
Taiwan, Tainan City
Chia-Yi Lin is a research assistant at the National Museum of Taiwan History. Her research interests are mainly on museum accessibility and education, volunteer and internship management, and inclusion access financial support project. In recent years, she has contributed to the construction, implementation, and evaluation of personalized educational programs for museum visitors to promote well-being and social inclusion in museum education contexts.
Beyond Barriers: Exploring Inclusive Exhibition Design and Collaborative Narratives
Museum as a hub for community engagement, diverse education, and knowledge dissemination, aiming to bridge visually impaired individuals with the objects to real-life experiences. To ensure inclusivity and accessibility, the National Taiwan Museum of History (NMTH) added seven tactile exhibit areas for visually impaired individuals as part of its permanent exhibition renewal project in 2019. This research aims to delve into the design process and outcomes of these tactile exhibit areas, highlighting the contributions to inclusivity and diversity.
In the design process of the tactile exhibit area, the curation team collaborated closely with the Public Services and Education Division (PSED) and special education experts. The involvement of the PSED and special education experts provided valuable insights into the needs of visually impaired individuals during the design process. Additionally, visually impaired individuals were invited to participate in design validation to ensure the practicality and effectiveness of the exhibit design.
One of the core challenges of this work was adjusting our own mindsets from being knowledge providers to becoming learners in the field of special education. While differing opinions on the arrangement, sizes of tactile objects, and article wording arose, these opinions posed challenges to the aesthetics and professionalism of the museum's display. Discussions revolved around presenting history through object displays and narratives, fostering curiosity about history, and enhancing inclusivity and accessibility for all visitors, particularly the visually impaired. Through intensive collaboration and dialogue, a consensus was reached, leading to the successful development of tactile exhibits catering to diverse needs.
The outcomes enhance the visiting experience for visually impaired individuals, promoting awareness of inclusivity and diversity in society. Through such endeavors, museums can authentically fulfill their mission in education, pleasure, reflection, and knowledge sharing in social service.
Inclusivity, accessibility, visually impaired, tactile exhibit