Touching the Prado

Museo Nacional del Prado. Madrid 1/20/2015 - 10/18/2015

The Museo del Prado has launched its first initiative focused on visually impaired visitors and based on innovation and technology. As a result of this project, six works representative of different pictorial genres to be found in the Museum’s collections can now be touched.Developed in collaboration with professionals in the sector of visual impairment, this project allows for the reality of the painting to be perceived in order to mentally recreate it as a whole and thus provide an emotional perception of the work. Non-sighted visitors will be able to obtain a heightened degree of artistic-aesthetic-creative enjoyment in order to explain, discuss and analyse these works in the Prado.In addition to the three-dimensional images, the display will include didactic material such as texts in braille, audioguides and opaque glasses aimed at facilitating the experience for fully sighted visitors.

Exhibition

Accessibility at the Museo del Prado

The Museum is firmly committed to guaranteeing universal access to its spaces and collections, for which reason it has implemented a series of measures within the framework of its 2013-2016 Action Plan.

Audio descriptions

Coinciding with the presentation of “Touching the Prado”, the Museum has launched a new audioguide service that includes audio descriptions of 53 works in its collection.

These detailed explanations of the figures, themes and other elements depicted in the works are specifically aimed at visually impaired visitors. Fourteen descriptions of masterpieces in the collection are particularly detailed.

Audio descriptions are available free for visually impaired visitors at the Audioguide desks.

Physical accessibility

The Museum has remodelled its spaces in order to eliminate architectural barriers for physically impaired visitors, with the exception of some connecting zones in the Villanueva Building where specific architectural factors make this difficult. Various different solutions are currently being considered.

Wheelchairs and walking sticks available for visitors’ use.

Content accessibility

Personalised attention in Spanish sign language in visitor reception services, a magnetic loop in the Auditorium, signguides, audioguides with magnetic loop and the recently introduced audio descriptions, accessible website, and more.

The Prado for All programme

This programme aims to facilitate access to knowledge and culture for people with specific learning and communication needs. It takes place within inclusive environments that promote concepts such as participation, collaboration, autonomy, dialogue and diversity of abilities.