The “Heritage Touch” project was designed for blind individuals, who are among the most vulnerable and marginalized groups of museum visitors. In an effort to improve accessibility for blind people in Montenegrin museums, the Museum Society collaborated with the Natural History Museum of Montenegro, the Homeland Museum of Pljevlja, the Museum and Gallery of Tivat, the Homeland Museum of Nikšić, and the Museums of Kotor to organize exhibitions in Podgorica, Pljevlja, Nikšić, Tivat, and Kotor.
The objectives of the project were:
- To improve the conditions in museums for visitors with disabilities.
- To increase the number of visitors with disabilities in museums.
- To create conditions for the presentation of cultural and natural heritage to persons with disabilities.
- To include persons with disabilities in cultural events in Montenegro.
The Montenegro Library for Persons with Visual Impairments, along with NGOs that support people with disabilities in Montenegro, played a crucial role in the realization of the “Heritage Touch” project. At the exhibitions, selected representative exhibits from the partner museums showcased Montenegro’s cultural and natural heritage using 2D printing.
Each museum contributed three exhibition panels to the exhibition. These panels presented three exhibits through drawings in 2D format, text in Braille, and audio recordings accessible to visitors by scanning a QR code. The exhibition featured items from the periods of prehistory, antiquity, and the Middle Ages, as well as characteristic examples of Montenegro’s flora and fauna.
Written by: Dragan Radović, Museum Society of Montenegro