• Seeing and learning opportunities for sightless people

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For sightless persons, touring a museum can be a debilitating and daunting experience that may have the effect to discourage a few.
It was not so for a group of 15 sightless persons  visiting Esapolis.

Bringing visually impaired audiences to the museum and learn to see from a different perspective, was the purpose of the day.
These members of a sport club in Vicenza, discovered Esapolis museum through the web radio of the National organisation of the visually impaired that a while ago interviewed the MUS.NET. accessibility manager over the advantages of learning through a tactile experience. In the discussion he explained what was put in place to increase the accessibility of Esapolis, adopting and enhancing the guidelines within the European project. Expectations were that listeners would be willing to try a tactile experience out.
In fact, visitors booked a tour on March 19th. The director Moretto encouraged them to touch the insects and the 3D models that were glued to the case of each insect for a better comprehension of their shape and features.
Visitors also attended a workshop that drew inspiration from the blind tour test that was implemented during the MUS.NET. 3rd Open Day. At the end, they left positive comments about the accuracy of the displayed animals, and the discovery of forms of the natural environment that were previously inaccessible to most of them.