Two new permanent exhibitions – “Eight Centuries in Turaida Castle” and “The Seventh Tower of Turaida Castle” – have been opened at the Turaida Museum Reserve. Special attention has been paid to accessibility for different groups of society, and SOCINTEGRA developed tactile solutions to make these exhibitions accessible for people with visual impairments.
The new exhibitions in the medieval Turaida Castle combine historically
research-based content with modern, interactive and audience-oriented
solutions. In cooperation with the Turaida Museum Reserve, SOCINTEGRA developed
several tactile accessibility solutions, making this unique cultural heritage
site accessible to people with visual impairments.
SOCINTEGRA developed tactile tower models placed in the main tower of
Turaida Castle, enabling visitors to understand both the tower’s architecture
and the surrounding environment through touch. In cooperation with the Turaida
Museum Reserve, professional audio descriptions in Latvian and English
were also created, allowing people with visual impairments and other audiences
to independently and fully explore the exhibition content. SOCINTEGRA also
developed tactile maps placed near the tower windows, enabling visitors
to understand through touch the surrounding landscape and distances to nearby
cultural heritage sites.
Chairwoman of SOCINTEGRA, Marija Kožarina: “We are truly pleased to have
had the opportunity to be an integral part of the creation of Turaida Museum
Reserve’s new permanent exhibitions. Looking at the finished result, we are
proud that another important cultural heritage site in Latvia is now accessible
to all groups of society, including people with visual impairments. Moreover,
these solutions provide an engaging experience not only for people with visual
impairments but also for the wider public.”
The exhibition “Eight Centuries in Turaida Castle” presents the development of
the castle from the 13th century to the present day. The exhibition “The
Seventh Tower of Turaida Castle” reveals a lesser-known story about medieval
military architecture and the role of the castle’s northern gate tower.
The new exhibitions are an important step toward accessible cultural
environments in Latvia, demonstrating that cultural heritage is becoming
increasingly open to all groups of society.
SOCINTEGRA continues to develop accessibility solutions in museums, cultural
heritage sites and public spaces across Latvia.
