Most museums ask visitors to keep their hands off the exhibits. A new museum opening Friday in Louisville, Kentucky, asks visitors to do the opposite. People with disabilities tested it during development, and one surprise came from a guide dog.
The museum sits on the campus of the American Printing House for the Blind, known as APH. People with disabilities worked alongside its developers, and their feedback directly shaped the experience. The goal is to give visitors with different abilities more independence, without separate accessible tours or accommodations.
A 28,000-Square-Foot Museum Built for Touch
The Dot Experience covers 28,000 square feet. Visitors explore its exhibits by touch and sound, and the displays invite them to interact.
Danielle Burton helped design the museum as a prototype team member. Burton, who is blind and hard of hearing, told Spectrum News 1 that traditional museum experiences don’t always work for her community. “I’ve been to museums; some of them have audio tours, which kind of sometimes works,” Burton said.
Burton said the exhibit gives her flexibility in how she experiences the space. “I have the ability to explore it however I feel that particular day,” she said.
A Guide Dog and Simpler Sculptures Changed the Design
During testing, a prototyper’s guide dog refused to cross flooring strips meant to help visitors find their way around the museum. The dog’s refusal prompted the team to rethink where the strips go.
Designers discovered that highly realistic tactile sculptures could be harder to interpret by touch than simplified versions.
A replica of Helen Keller’s silver scroll holder got a redesign after testers found a problem. Its original mounting kept them from feeling the holder’s full dimensions.
Helen Keller’s Materials and Stevie Wonder’s Piano
Visitors can explore Helen Keller’s personal materials and a piano Stevie Wonder played as a child. The museum also displays tactile reproductions of historical artifacts.
A behind-the-scenes look at APH’s working production facility shows visitors how the organization makes braille books and tactile graphics today.
Start With Wednesday’s Advocacy Panel
Anyone in Louisville before Friday’s opening can catch The Power of Advocacy, a community panel at the Muhammad Ali Center on Wednesday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Host Katina Whitlock leads a talk on social activism, education and workplace equity with Kathy Martinez, Khadija Bari, Lachi and Paul Schroeder.