Some of the questions that RNIB is most frequently asked by museum, gallery and heritage professionals are given below with suggestions of where to find further information and advice.
Are my collections and venue accessible to blind and partially sighted people?
The best way to assess how accessible your collections, services and buildings are is obviously to work with blind and partially sighted people. Setting up an access group or other consultation group will be invaluable in accessing and in developing new services. Please read below for advice on how to find blind and partially sighted people to get involved in consultation.
There are a number of blind and partially sighted consultants who specialise in access to museums, galleries and heritage sites. The Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) disability database will be able to provide you with contact details for these consultants and others.
MLA has produced a self-assessment guide to help museums and galleries start to think about how accessible they are to disabled people.
A full access audit will give you a thorough understanding of the physical and intellectual access issues at your venue as well as priorities for future development. Access consultancies such as JMU Access partnership can help you in this process. The National Register of Access Consultants gives information on access consultants in the UK.
How do I find people to consult with and how do I set up an access group?
Finding blind and partially sighted people to get involved in consultation can take time and resources but will have huge benefits for your organisation.
There are a number of ways to find people to get involved in consultation. RNIB maintains an online database of all local agencies for blind and partially sighted people in the UK. This will help you find organisations local to you to approach for consultation. Many local authorities have an access group of local disabled people. Talking Newspapers UK (TNAUK) can provide you of lists of Talking Newspapers in your area.
When blind and partially sighted people visit your venue do ensure that their opinions on services is recorded and do ask if they would like to join a mailing list in their preferred reading format to be kept informed of future events, services and developments.
MLA's Disability Portfolio also offers advice and guidance on consulting with disabled people.
Where can I find advice on making my collections more accessible to blind and partially sighted people?
RNIB has produced a number of publications and factsheets that offer advice to museums, galleries and heritage sites on improving access for blind and partially sighted people.
The Talking Images publications were developed through two years of research and consultation with blind and partially sighted people. The publications are available to download alongside a number of other factsheets and guidance notes.
The RNIB Research Library in Central London holds the largest collection of books on sight loss in Europe. This collection includes a number of publications around access to museums, galleries and to visual arts.
Where can I get advice on developing an access policy?
Developing an access policy and action plan is an essential part of improving the experience of disabled people at your venue.
An access policy should aim to improve access for all visitors and will cover physical, sensory, intellectual and cultural access. An action plan will set out what steps will be taken in the future in order to implement an access policy MLA's Disability Portfolio offers advice and guidance on access policies.
How do I make information in my venue accessible?
RNIB receive many complaints from blind and partially sighted people about a lack of access to information in museums and galleries.
The new See it Right book includes advice on producing accessible print information, details of producing audio and braille information, and guidelines on using common software packages accessibly. If you have any further enquiries, please email seeitright@rnib.org.uk
The Talking Images publications give examples of how other museums and galleries have ensured that blind and partially sighted people can access information.
Where can I get advice on tactile maps, images and models?
RNIB's Tactile Images Officer offers advice and guidance to the museum, gallery and heritage sectors in ways to increase access through the use of tactile images, maps and models. Please email sf.king@rnib.org.uk.
The website of RNIB's National Centre of Tactile Diagrams has lots of useful information about tactile images and diagrams.
How do I make my website accessible? Can I use my website to make my collections available to more people?
RNIB's Web Access Centre includes vital information on web accessibility and links to guidelines and examples of best practice.
The Jodi Awards recognise best practice in web accessibility in the museum, library and archives sectors.
Websites such as the British Museum's COMPASS website has an audio description tour designed to increase access for blind and partially sighted people to online collections.
How do I promote services and events to blind and partially sighted people?
Many blind and partially sighted people face barriers in trying to obtain information about cultural events.
Accessible events and services should be promoted in all your marketing and on your website. Information should also be distributed to local societies and talking newspapers. Local radio can also be a useful way to reach people.
Audience development however takes resources and time to develop relationships with local people, organisations and networks. Whilst some museums and galleries at first struggle to develop audiences for events and services there are some that run very well attended events and projects. Some of these are listed on the case studies section of the website.
How can I make outdoor heritage sites and countryside accessible to people with sight loss?
RNIB has recently worked with the National Trust on a European project. We have now produced guidance on improving access to outdoor heritage sites.
Where can I find examples of what other venues have done?
RNIB produces a monthly list of accessible museum services and events which is available online. This listing service will give you an idea of the services that other museums and galleries offer blind and partially sighted people.
RNIB also has an online list of examples of best practice in the museum and gallery sector
Where can find a describer to work in my gallery or a training course in description?
The Audio Description Association offers an Open College Network certificate in Audio Description. This course will soon have a module on description for museums and galleries. For more information, email Mary Plackett(mplackett@romas62.fsnet.co.uk) or call 01727 85 03 91.
Vocaleyes, a national audio description service, also offer training in description and description services in museums, galleries, heritage sites and theatres, as do Minds Eye. The Audio Description Association will be able to help you find describers who specialise in the museum and gallery sectors, such as Bridget Crowley (bridgetc@dsl.pipex.com) and Di Langford (dilangford@aol.com).
I am a student. Where can I find information on access to museums and galleries?
RNIB has produced a factsheet, Access to exhibitions and collections for blind and partially sighted people (Word 159KB), which gives museum, arts and heritage students an overview of access issues for blind and partially sighted people.
Isn't improving access expensive? Where can I find funding?
Many access changes cost very little. Producing information in large print, or considering colour contrast during a refurbishment will cost very little but can have a huge impact on the experience of people with vision loss at your venue.
Many of the museum case studies including on RNIB's site are creative solutions developed with small budgets.
MLA's Disability Portfolio offers advice on 'Access on a Shoestring'.
If you are considering applying for funding to support access improvements, do read the Heritage Lottery Fund's guidance on grant schemes and contact your regional MLA council.