Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums
Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) provide a series of pre-visit information packs for blind and partially sighted visitors to borrow before a visit. These packs, part of the 'Look, touch, listen and smell' project are available at five of the Tyne and Wear museums and include:
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large print, braille, audio CD and audio cassette information on the Museum and its facilities
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large print maps of the Museum floors
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braille and tactile maps of the Museum floors.
The five Museums involved also have static tactile and visual orientation points.
The Laing Art Gallery now has seven touch models, accessible to all visitors, to give them a greater understanding of the collections. These include a model of the beautiful stain glass window in the Gallery and a carved bench that incorporates motifs from art works in the collections.
By December 2009, the Laing Art Gallery will be displaying some of its exhibitions through Talking Tactile Technology. This will enable visually impaired visitors the opportunity to touch tactile representations of paintings alongside voice-activated information panels.
Access information
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Individual venues will produce most information in large print or braille before a visit, given at least two weeks notice.
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The Access team also co-ordinate guided tours for visitors with sight problems, given a minimum of two weeks notice. TWAM's Access team is led by the Hub Access Officer, Rob Latham, who is registered blind and a guide dog owner.
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All TWAM venues welcome guide dogs, and staff will provide water on request.
If you wish to make a visit or need more information about access for people with sight problems, please either telephone the individual Gallery or Museum you are interested in, or contact a member of the Access team.
Contact details
Hub Access Officer
Discovery Museum
Blandford Square
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4JA
Telephone: 0191 277 2313
Email: robert.latham@twmuseums.org.uk