The National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution undertook a research project to determine what could be done to enable visually handicapped persons to benefit from the museum's resources. Programs currently of interest to the blind were advertised, with maps of touchable objects throughout the museum made available. In addition, books about the Smithsonian have been brailled, cassette tours of individual halls prepared, exhibit designers encouraged to include more touchable objects in their displays, and docents given special training in how to relate to and guide blind persons. Further sources of information appear at the end of this article.
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References
1.
Museums and the Blind
2.
BartlettJ. E.Museums and the blind.Museums Journal, February 1955. Discusses what had been done up to 1955 in science museums in England for the blind.
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CalhornS. N.On the edge of vision.Museum News, April 1974. An excellent article on the development of the Tactile Gallery at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut.
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CoonN.The place of the museum in the education of the blind.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1953.
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HazeltinsPlease touch.Museum News, October 1966. Description of the program for the blind at the Salt Lake City Art Center.
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KinseyW. F.A museum exhibit for the blind.The Seer, December 1960. Practical information on putting together a “suitcase” exhibit of American Indian and other artifacts. Museums for the blind: A bibliography. New York: American Foundation for the Blind, n.d.
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SachkoD.Development and implementation of the California Arts Commission Touring Gallery for the Sighted and Blind.Springfield, Va.: National Technical Information Service, 1971. Valuable information for any museum planning to develop a gallery for the blind.
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StanfordC. W.Jr., A museum for the blind.Museum News, June 1966.
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SwitzerM. W.The enjoyment of the arts—another aspect of rehabilitation.AAWB Blindness Annual, 1967, 21–33.
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AlkemaC. J.Art for the exceptional.Boulder, Colol: Pruett, 1971.
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Arts for and by the blind: A bibliography.New York: American Foundation for the Blind, 1968.
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FouracreM. (Ed.) Helping the visually handicapped child in a regular class.New York: Columbia University Press, 1957.
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FulkerW. H., and FulkerM.Techniques with tangibles.Springfield, Ill.: Charles C Thomas, 1968.
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26.
TombaughD.Biology for the blind. Euclid Public Schools, 651 East 222nd Street, Euclid, Ohio 44123. Section of biological experiments is of interest to a natural history museum with educational programs for visually handicapped students.
27.
Writers Program, Ohio State WPA.Models for the blind.Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State School for the Blind, 1941.
