Museum Making Sense: Co-Designing Better Museum Art Experiences with Blind and Partially Sighted Individuals

TY - JOUR

T1 - Museum Making Sense

T2 - Co-Designing Better Museum Art Experiences with Blind and Partially Sighted Individuals

AU - Han, Jinyu

AU - Gault, Paul

AU - Pullin, Graham

PY - 2026/4/28

Y1 - 2026/4/28

N2 - The Making Sense project aims to enhance museum and gallery experiences for visually impaired individuals through multisensory design. It begins by analyzing the current situation of blind and partially sighted (BPS) people, highlighting the accessibility limitations that remain in traditional museums and galleries. Using a co-design approach with visually impaired individuals, the study seeks to understand their needs, preferences, and challenges in engaging with artworks. The activity is primarily divided into two parts: co-design workshops and the studio-based making process. While these two strands are closely interconnected, they are discussed separately for clarity. The co-design workshops support direct user participation, generating insights that inform the development of prototypes and multisensory installations in the studio. Results from both processes provide key findings for enhancing non-visual engagement with art. Overall, the project promotes inclusive art experiences, cultural accessibility, and supports the rights of people with disabilities in museum and gallery spaces.

AB - The Making Sense project aims to enhance museum and gallery experiences for visually impaired individuals through multisensory design. It begins by analyzing the current situation of blind and partially sighted (BPS) people, highlighting the accessibility limitations that remain in traditional museums and galleries. Using a co-design approach with visually impaired individuals, the study seeks to understand their needs, preferences, and challenges in engaging with artworks. The activity is primarily divided into two parts: co-design workshops and the studio-based making process. While these two strands are closely interconnected, they are discussed separately for clarity. The co-design workshops support direct user participation, generating insights that inform the development of prototypes and multisensory installations in the studio. Results from both processes provide key findings for enhancing non-visual engagement with art. Overall, the project promotes inclusive art experiences, cultural accessibility, and supports the rights of people with disabilities in museum and gallery spaces.

KW - Co-Design

KW - Multisensory Design

KW - Blind and Partially Sighted (BPS)

KW - Inclusion

KW - Cultural Heritage

KW - Artistic Experience

KW - Accessibility

U2 - 10.18848/1835-2014/CGP/A489

DO - 10.18848/1835-2014/CGP/A489

M3 - Article

SN - 1835-2014

JO - International Journal of the Inclusive Museum

JF - International Journal of the Inclusive Museum

ER -