Leisure

Museums and Galleries

Summary: A list of accessible museum and gallery events

• British Museum, London
• Doddington Hall, Lincoln
• English Heritage venues
• Fabrica
• Historic Royal Palaces
• Manchester City Art Gallery
• Museum of London
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Gallery, London
• National Maritime Museum, London
• National Trust venues
• National Waterfront Museum, Swansea
• Royal Academy, London
• Royal Museum and Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
• Southampton City Art Gallery
• SS Great Britain, Bristol
• Tate Britain, London
• Tate Liverpool
• Tate Modern, London
• Theatre Museum, London
• Tyne and Wear Museums
• Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, County Down
• Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
• Victoria and Albert Museum, London
• Wakefield Museums, Galleries and Castles
• Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
• Online audio description radio
• Additional information
• Feedback

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Why not visit a museum or gallery?

An increasing number of venues have services or events accessible to blind and partially sighted people. A selection of just a few of these is listed here and is updated monthly.

British Museum, London

The British Museum has audio description features on their online collections, known as COMPASS.

This website tour features audio description of twenty objects from the collections. Artefacts are described in such detail so as to enable blind or partially sighted people to have a deeper appreciation and understanding of the item being discussed.

The Department of Learning and Information commissioned Vocaleyes to help the Museum construct this tour. Experienced describers wrote the texts in conjunction with the Museum's curators. Links on each page allow you to listen to the audio (mp3) or download it onto your computer. You are of course invited to put them on a portable mp3 player / iPod and visit the objects in the Museum's galleries.

The British Museum have also introduced a similar facility, Children’s COMPASS, which has been designed from the outset with blind and partially sighted users in mind. A text-only version of most screens enables screen-readers to browse. Children aged 7-11 can browse hundreds of fascinating Museum artefacts and take tours on a wide range of subjects, including key topics from the National Curriculum.

Other provision includes thermal images and Braille books, located next to seating areas, and a handling session where visitors can touch objects under supervision. Contact the British Museum’s Access Officer – Jane Samuels for further information and the date of the handling session: jsamuels@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

For further details on either of the above projects, please email chowitt@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

Doddington Hall, Lincoln

Doddington Hall, a family-owned Elizabethan house with walled and wild gardens in Lincoln, has just launched new sensory tours for blind and partially sighted visitors.

Developed with Mark Ellis, a local blind volunteer, the sensory tours take in a feast of sights, smells, sounds and sensations in both the house and gardens. Incorporating tactile diagrams, a wide variety of objects to handle and feel, these tours are designed to be used with a sighted companion or a member of Doddington Hall staff - book in advance by calling 01522 69 43 08.

English Heritage venues

English Heritage manages over 400 historic sites including castles, abbeys and ancient monuments.

English Heritage also produces a free guide for visitors with disabilities. This guide indicates venues with services for blind and partially sighted people, such as audio guides, and venues where sculptures, carvings and stonework can be touched.

For more information, telephone English Heritage Customer Services on 0870 333 1181.

Fabrica

'Second Sight' - a workshop for visually impaired and sighted participants led by artist, Naomi Kendrick. Monday the 28th of April 2.30 - 4.30pm. Please contact Fabrica to book a place - 01273 778646.

INDELIBLE: Every Contact Leaves a Trace

Artists: Shelly Goldsmith and Carole Hayman

Scientists: Alison Fendley and Anna Motz

12 April - 18 May

In the early twentieth century Dr Edmond Locard, a pioneer of forensic science, proposed his 'exchange principle'. His idea, that whenever two surfaces come into contact a transference of material, however slight takes place, has laid the foundation for modern forensic science. He also coined the phrase 'every contact leaves a trace'.

Taking Locard's exchange principle as a starting point, this exhibition brings together the recent work of two scientists and two artists who individually and in partnership explore the idea that our physical existence in the world, and particularly our actions, leave indelible traces upon our environment and other people.

Carole Hayman's documentary film installation No-one Escapes and newly commissioned textile pieces by Shelly Goldsmith provide the main visual elements of the exhibition. Biologist Alison Fendley, a Senior Scientist with the Forensic Science Service, and Anna Motz, a Consultant Clinical and Forensic Psychologist in Oxfordshire Healthcare NHS Trust, share their work and thoughts through commissioned texts and discussion.

Forensic biologist Alison Fendley oversees the scientific analysis and interpretation of body fluid, DNA and other trace material in the context of serious sexual assault cases, at the Huntingdon site of the Forensic Science Service. Shelly Goldsmith has used textile processes in conjunction with altered garments to imagine how the internal drama of the wearer - psychological states, emotions and memories - can be made visible in cloth. In different ways and for very different reasons, Fendley's and Goldsmith's work explores aspects of the self in material evidence and how the narrative of our lives, or the events that make up our lives, may be read from that evidence.

Anna Motz works to understand the roots of severe psychopathology in women who are violent against themselves and others, and explores the possibilities for professionals working therapeutically with these women. She expounds the link between traumatic childhood experience and adult behaviour, and is a key voice in Carole Hayman's documentary film installation No-one Escapes. Hayman's work uses the notorious case of serial killers Fred and Rosemary West to examine the psychological impact of extreme violence on those immediately connected with the case as well as intimating a wider impact, a psychological ripple, through society as a whole.

Historic Royal Palaces

Historic Royal Palaces is responsible for the conservation and presentation of the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, the Banqueting House and Kew Palace.

Historic Royal Palaces extends their welcome to blind and partially sighted people through VocalEyes trained Personal Room Describers. Staff will be delighted to guide blind and partially sighted visitors around Hampton Court, Kew Palace, the Royal State Dress Collection at Kensington Palace, and the White Tower and Jewel House at the Tower of London.

The service is available seven days a week but room describers must be booked a minimum of 14 days in advance to ensure availability (there is no additional charge - this is included in normal admission tickets).

To book a personal room describer please telephone:

Hampton Court Palace - 0870 751 5175

Kensington Palace - 020 3166 6106

Kew Palace - 0870 751 5179

Tower of London - 020 3166 6266.

Manchester City Art Gallery

Manchester City Art Gallery holds regular audio-description and workshop events and has a range of services for blind and partially sighted people including:

• a described audio guide
• large print and braille information
• a large print and tactile map
• touch objects.

In addition, the gallery has just launched a new described tour of their touch objects in the Gallery of Craft and Design. For more information, or to book a sighted guide in advance of your visit, please contact Meg Lewis-Crosby on 0161 235 8855 or email m.lewis-crosby@manchester.gov.uk

Museum of London

The Museum of London has new gallery guides for people with sight problems. The guides will provide introductory information and large print maps to the following galleries:

• London Before London Gallery
• Roman Gallery
• World City Gallery.

The guides are available free of charge from the front desk. For access information, call 0870 444 3850 or email access@museumoflondon.org.uk

National Portrait Gallery

Each month the National Portrait Gallery holds a "Visualising Portraits" session for blind and partially sighted visitors to experience the gallery.

• 26 March, 2pm-3.30pm
• 30 April, 2pm-3.30pm
• 28 May, 2pm-3.30pm.

National Gallery, London

Each month, the National Gallery holds an "Art Through Words" session for blind and partially sighted visitors.

Each session begins with a description of the painting and ends with a visit to the Gallery. Sessions are free, to guarantee a place telephone 020 7747 5891. Please meet at the Sainsbury Wing Information Desk at 11.30am on the day. Session ends at 12.45pm.

Saturday 29 March

Hobbema: Avenue at Middleharnis

Saturday 26 April

Giordano: Phineas and his Gollowers turned to Stone

National Maritime Museum, London

A programme of touch talks and tours hosted by members of Museum staff and guest lecturers runs throughout the year. Please contact the Bookings Unit for more information telephone 0208 312 6608, fax 0208 312 6522 or email bookings@nmm.ac.uk Information is available in large-print, braille and audiotape.

National Trust venues

The National Trust is a charity caring for over 200 buildings and gardens, 248,000 hectares of countryside and 600 miles of coastline.

The National Trust admission policy admits the necessary companion of a disabled visitor free of charge, while the normal charge applies to the disabled person. An Admit One card can be obtained for the companion from the Access for All Office.

For further information:

• contact Jane Satchwell by phone on 01793 81 76 34
• email: accessforall@nationaltrust.org.uk

A free Access Guide is produced annually, giving details of the provision of all types of access available at our properties. The book is available in standard or large print and on tape. Sections can also be provided in braille.

To obtain the guide, please send £1.04 in stamps towards package and post to:

The National Trust Membership Department
PO Box 39
Warrington
Cheshire
WA5 7WD

Tyntesfield Country House and Estate, North Somerset

Tyntesfield Country House is managed by the National Trust. An audio guide has been produced in partnership with local blind and partially sighted people and students. The audio guide gives orientation information and descriptions of the building and its collections. Touch tours are also available. To book a tour call 0870 241 4500.

National Waterfront Museum, Swansea

The National Waterfront Museum buildings and exhibitions are designed to be accessible to all and accessible information (braille and large print) is provided in the galleries.

Museum attendants are trained in interpreting the collections and displays for blind and partially sighted people. For more information call 01792 63 89 50.

Royal Academy, London

Share the experience of exploring works of art in the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts through tactile interaction and audio description. The Royal Academy offers one-to-one guided tours for blind and partially sighted people. Trained guides can escort visitors around the exhibition and give detailed descriptions of the art works. These tours are free of charge and can be booked by emailing access@royalacademy.org.uk

Royal Museum and Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Personal access guides at the Royal Museum and the Museum of Scotland are available free for anyone who may have difficulty seeing the exhibits, reading information about them, or keeping up with guided tours. You can book your own guide by telephoning Wilma Henderson on 0131 247 4206.

Lists of exhibits that can be touched are available from the Information Desks of both museums. To arrange a special tour with handling sessions, call Fiona Ferguson on 0131 246 4206.

Southampton City Art Gallery

Free workshops for visually impaired people.
Touch Tours: for gallery visitors with visual impairments.

These ever-popular sessions have shown that visual impairment is no barrier to the appreciation of visual art. The sessions are always inspired by the works of art on show, either from the amazing collection at Southampton or from the superb exhibitions mounted by the gallery. Looking at art in the gallery can include handling the art, drawing, making new work in different media, discussion, and insights into the history, context and techniques of the works of art chosen for the day. Friendly and informal the sessions aim to create a relaxed atmosphere and lively discussion.

As regular visitor Keith Hatter from Winchester says: “Losing my sight to Retinitis Pigmentosa did not mean losing my interest in art. Ideas expressed in art can be communicated by touch and description, especially with the expert help of committed galleries and curators.”

For more information and to book a place please ring 023 8083 4563.

SS Great Britain, Bristol

A new audio guide for blind and partially sighted visitors has been launched at the ss Great Britain in Bristol. The audio guide, has been developed in partnership with a focus group of people with sight loss, particularly Mark Austen, who originally audited the ship as part of the Talking Images project in 2001.

The audio guide takes visitors through the museum and then guides them onto and around the ship itself. The new audio guide system is provided to registered blind and sight impaired visitors as part of the admission charge. Accompanying sighted guides have free entry. For more information call 0117 926 0680.

Tate Britain, London

A descriptive audio guide is available free at Tate Britain. This has recently been updated to include two new works in the Historical and Contemporary Collections displays.

You can also book a descriptive touch tour that will be planned to suit your interests.

To book all events, telephone 0207 887 8888.

Tate Liverpool

Exploring Sculpture Tours are available anytime during gallery hours at Tate Liverpool. Discover how some of the sculptural works in DLA Piper Series: International Modern Art are made, handle materials used and touch some of the key works on display.

Henry Moore Touch Tours, offers a special opportunity to explore a selection of his works by touch. Henry Moore’s sculptures are wonderfully tactile.

These tours must be booked at lest two weeks in advance, there is a maximum of ten people. Please book your tour with Mike Stout on 0151 702 7451.

Tate Modern, London

Tate Modern’s I-map project is an online art resource designed for blind and partially sighted people.

Trained members of staff are available to guide blind and partially sighted visitors through any exhibition at Tate Modern.

Touch tours are also available to introduce visitors with sight problems to the thematic arrangement of Tate Modern’s displays in order to engage with ideas, materials and techniques of art since 1900. Tours last approximately an hour and are given by trained guides, usually on a one-to-one basis.

For more information, a leaflet in large print, audio or braille or to book a tour, please telephone 020 7887 8888.

Theatre Museum, London

The Theatre Museum can organise workshops for groups and individuals, exploring the history of theatre through costume, with stories about notorious characters along the way! There can be the chance to handle archive objects and theatrical costumes – and even try them on.

If you are interested in the workshops for young people or adults, please call Sue Rolfe on 0207 943 4806 or email s.rolfe@vam.ac.uk. An access guide can be downloaded from the Theatre Museum website.

Tyne and Wear Museums

Tyne and Wear Museums provide a series of pre-visit information packs for blind and partially sighted visitors to borrow before a visit. These information packs, part of the ‘Look, Touch, Listen and Smell’ project, are available at five of the Tyne and Wear museums and include:

• large print, braille, audio CD and audio cassette information on the museum and its facilities
• large print maps of the museum floors
• braille and tactile maps of the museum floors.

The five museums involved also have static tactile and visual orientation points.

The Laing Art Gallery now has seven touch models that are accessible to all visitors, which give them a greater understanding of the collections. These include a model of the beautiful stain glass window in the gallery and a carved bench that incorporates motifs from art works in the collections.

Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, County Down

The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum has a series of facilities and services for blind and partially sighted visitors.

The recently opened Flight Exhibition includes:

• a new customised audio tour for blind and partially sighted people
• interactive information station
• tactile maps
• the handling collection
• large print and braille information.

A consumer panel of visitors with sight loss worked with Museum staff in developing these services. For more information please contact the museum on 028 9042 8428.

Victoria Art Gallery, Bath

Once a month a free workshop for blind and partially sighted people is held at Victoria Art Gallery in Bath. Each workshop is held on a Thursday between 10.30am and 12pm.

For more information, call the gallery on 01225 47 72 33.

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Victoria and Albert Museum has established an innovative programme of touch and audio tours and drawing and photographic courses for blind and partially sighted visitors. These provide an opportunity for handling objects and developing individual art and craft skills.

There are regular special visits to major exhibitions for blind and partially sighted visitors. The visits offer some visual description and some opportunity to touch. The Victoria and Albert Museum website offers up to date information on the latest accessible exhibitions and workshops.

Disabled people are entitled to free admission to the V&A exhibitions with up to two friends. You can also be added to their database to receive events programmes by telephoning 020 7942 2060 or emailing disability@vam.ac.uk .

Gallery Talk, 28 March, 11.00am-12.30pm

Wakefield Museums, Galleries and Castles

Wakefield museums, galleries and castles have a programme of touch talks where participants can hear museum experts talk about art, history and archaeology linked to the local area, with opportunities to handle objects and get close to Wakefield's collections.

The touch talks run from 11.30am-12.30pm or 1.30-2.30pm and are free. Booking is essential as places are limited - call 01924 305902 or email learningandaccess@wakefield.gov.uk to book a place or to request further information. Sighted escorts and guide dogs welcome.

Wakefield Art Gallery

8 April

'Exploring Sculpture' led by art curator Nino Vella. This talk will introduce you to 20th century sculpture focusing on the work of local artists Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.

Wakefield Museum

23 May

'Feeling Hungry?' led by social history curator John Whitaker. Find out about historical objects linked to food and drink in the past.

Sandal Castle

12 July

'Feeling the Past' led by archaeology curator Pam Judkins. Explore Wakefield's Archaeology collection.

Pontefract Museum

11 September

Led by the curator of Pontefract Museum, Richard Van Riel.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton

A tactile sculpture gallery, Sensing Sculpture is open at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Sensing sculpture explores sculpture through touch, smell, sound and environment as well as sight, and has interactive exhibits, tactile pathway and information and audio guide.

The Wolverhampton Art Gallery is open Monday – Saturday, 10.30am – 5.00pm. Entry is free. For more information, contact the gallery on 01902 55 20 55.

Online audio description radio

The Dog Rose Sound radio station has audio files that can be downloaded which contain news, interviews and audio guides including many for cathedrals.

Additional information

If you are interested in general services at museums and galleries, visit the 24 hour Museum website.

The Art through Touch website has a bulletin board with events specifically for blind and partially sighted people.

For further information about these venues or others offering events or permanent services, please contact RNIB on 020 7391 3285 or at audiodescription@rnib.org.uk

Feedback

Please contact us if you have a particularly good or bad experience at a museum or gallery.

Updated: April 2008

Content author: audiodescription@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 16/04/2008 18:22