In celebration of International Museum Day on May 18 and National Disability Day on May 19, Guangdong Museum has launched a series of educational activities aiming at promoting accessibility and inclusivity for people with disabilities.
These initiatives are designed to bring a unique experience to audiences with hearing and visual impairments and to call for more attention and support from all sectors of society.
The museum has organized diverse sign language activities in May, including online and on-site sign language guided tours and sign language teaching.
The online tour will be held via Weibo and the WeChat channels from May 15 to December 31, providing an online sign language guided tour for selected artifacts such as the Liede dragon boat and the gold-lacquered wood carving shrine.
On May 18, professional sign language teachers and experts will conduct a guided tour of the "Our Magnificent Homeland" Calligraphy and Painting Donation Exhibition of Ren Zhenhan. It is worth mentioning that Ren Zhenhan was a deaf painter who became a legend of Lingnan art through his persistent efforts.
Additionally, on May 18 and 19, students from Guangzhou City Polytechnic will teach sign language in the museum, offering visitors a chance to experience communication in a silent world.
Previous sign language interpreted tour at the Guangdong Museum (Photo: Guangdong Deaf People Association)
Audio description services are a long-term effort of the Guangdong Museum. The museum trains volunteers in audio description techniques, enabling them to vividly convey visual information about antiques in a purely verbal form. On May 19, there will be a guided tour using audio description in the morning and an audio-described screening of the documentary "Masters in the Forbidden City" in the afternoon for visually impaired visitors.
Previous audio description guided tour at the Guangdong Museum (Photo: Guangdong Museum)
Visitors will also have an opportunity to touch antiques, feeling their contours and textures. Those who correctly recognize the artifacts will receive a special souvenir.
Previous antique touching activity at the Guangdong Museum (Photo: Guangdong Museum)
The museum encourages visitors to share their experiences and thoughts on accessibility in museums on social media platforms like Sina Weibo. Participants have a chance to win exquisite gifts from the Guangdong Museum.
The museum's accessibility education activities extend beyond the two special days, with regular guided tours for the deaf and visually impaired scheduled from June to December 2024. With continuous efforts to enhance its services for people with disabilities, the Guangdong Museum hopes to provide equal opportunities to access museum education and allow more individuals to appreciate cultural treasures without barriers.
Reporter | Chen Longyan
Editor | Will, James
