Seeing Archaeology When You Can’t See: A Pilot Project for Blind/Low-Vision Museum Visitors

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Outreach and Education: Examples of Approaches and Strategies from the Pacific Northwest" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In October 2019, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture on the UW campus in Seattle reopened to the public in its new home, with an “inside-out” approach that invites audiences to visibly connect more deeply with the life of the museum. Galleries sit side-by-side with visible collection storage, labs, classrooms, and an artist studio. This literal focus on visibility has received stellar reviews but has its limitations with respect to visitors who are blind or have limited sight. To improve accessibility, the Burke Archaeology Department received a grant from 4Culture, and collaborated with Washington State Department of Services for the Blind summer youth program. This five-week pilot program brought together two paid blind/low-vision high schoolers, one undergraduate, and the archaeology staff to develop an accessible mini-program focused on the archaeology of Washington State.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Outreach and Education: Examples of Approaches and Strategies from the Pacific Northwest   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36464.0