Touching the Prado. San Telmo Museoa, San Sebastián

This is the Museo del Prado’s first initiative for visually impaired visitors: an exhibition of six images in relief, representing different art styles and genres that reflect the depth and richness of the museum’s collections.

Religious painting, mythology, genre scenes, portraiture and still life are the genres that the Prado has, for the first time in its history, made available to blind or partially sighted visitors by creating tactile reproductions of great works like Noli me tangere by Correggio, Vulcan’s Forge by Velázquez, The Parasol by Goya, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop, The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest by El Greco and Still Life with Artichokes, Flowers and Glass Vessels by Van der Hamen, the last three at full scale. At San Telmo Museoa, these are joined by a reproduction of Hamarretako (Basque Types) by Ignacio Zuloaga, one of the Basque museum’s most iconic works.

Developed in collaboration with visually impaired professionals, this project contains additional material such as panels and labels in Braille, audio guides that provide precise instructions on how to complete a tactile tour of the pieces on display, and blindfold-like opaque glasses so that sighted visitors can share in this sensory experience.

These artworks were reproduced in tactile relief with the Didú technique developed by Estudios Durero, using high-resolution photographs to create textures and volumes up to six millimetres deep.

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.