Bauska Museum, in collaboration with SOCINTEGRA, has
completed a major project that lasted approximately two years - the exhibition “Bauska
Through Time and People in Bauska in the 20th Century” is now adapted for
people with visual impairments.
SOCINTEGRA Chairwoman Marija Kožarina explains: "This
Bauska Museum exhibition, now fully adapted for people with visual impairments,
is the first accessible museum exhibition in Bauska Municipality. I am truly
pleased that we had the opportunity to create professional audio descriptions
specifically designed for blind people. These audio descriptions, combined with
the possibility to touch various objects during the guided tour, allow visitors
with visual impairments to explore the exhibition and discover many things that
were previously impossible to access."
“This exhibition is designed to give you the feeling
that you are standing on one of Bauska’s streets and can look into how people
worked in the 20th century - what the shops looked like, what workshops were
like. We begin with the year 1910 and Eduards Dreņģers’ store,” explains Ieva
Bronko-Pastore, Head of the Art Department at Bauska Museum.
“We also take into account the opinions of blind
visitors, for whom it is very important to explore objects they do not
encounter every day. This is truly fascinating for them. What we offer to
understand through touch includes various tactile items - for example, visitors
can touch an old coffee grinder, a horseshoe, three different types of curling
irons, and other objects, allowing them to understand their form and weight,”
continues I. Bronko-Pastore.
“Bauska Museum staff participated in the training
sessions for museum professionals that SOCINTEGRA organized last year. They
learned about accessibility requirements for the physical environment and
museum exhibitions, as well as the skills needed to guide a person with visual
impairments in a museum. The results are clearly visible - the exhibition is
now accessible to this audience, and the museum staff can professionally
conduct specialized tours for blind visitors,” adds M. Kožarina.
Photo: Anna Apīne / Latvijas Radio
