Page 53 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 10(2) (2022)
P. 53
ia universitatis The educational program accompanying quickly improve adaptations without more sig-
the exhibition included jewellery-making work- nificant impacts on the exhibition itself or any
museumaccessibility:developmentofgoodpracticeforthepromotionofarchaeologicalheritage 53 shops based on prehistoric jewellery, and three greater financial burden. Another positive as-
guest lectures by archaeologists11 inspired by the pect of the gradual introduction of adaptations
theme of the exhibition – small objects that tell to the permanent exhibition is the establishment
great and interesting stories. of communication with regular visitors, who are
educated and learn to accept the presence of vis-
Conclusion itors with special needs through the experience
The presented examples of adaptations at the Za- of the tactile info points, Braille and similar
greb City Museum were chosen because of their presentations.
specifics and tackle many of the challenges we
have mentioned in the introductory chapter. Its During our research, we found out that to
main challenge is the museum’s location in the attract visitors with special needs, the museum
city’s historical part, including the building it- offers organised guided visits and other adapt-
self. The open physical access, including the ac- ed activities, primarily for free and in collabora-
cessible public or private transportation to the tion with different societies of people with spe-
museum, and more extensive adaptations in the cial needs. As free admittance is not included in
museum building must include several minor the final sum of all visitors, we could not gain an
adaptive interventions in space, which will prob- insight into the number of visits. We find that
ably never satisfy the needs of all the groups of this is the main current challenge to be solved.
visitors with special needs. However, this lack of Even though visitors with special needs are vis-
physical adaptations might be lessened by using iting the museum, and their awareness of the
new technological and digital devices that will adapted museum programmes and accessibility
benefit visitors most of the museum experience. has probably changed over time, this could not
be measured by the possible increase in the num-
The long-lasting adaptive works have prov- ber of their visits. We are also unable to recog-
en that making a museum inclusive and accessi- nise which types of visitors with special needs
ble takes a long time. They must include several have accepted all the changes and have also be-
aspects of museum work, including communica- come regular visitors. This information would
tion, workshops, and organised programmes for also be valuable for the future planning and up-
potential visitors with special needs and their so- grades of adaptations for the specific types of vis-
cieties. As was shown, this communication and itors with special needs that still do not recog-
final products must go through different stag- nise that a museum is also a place for them.
es, including the constant evaluation processes,
to make necessary improvements. It is also clear The positive side of the presented examples
that the museum must take these steps towards shows that the process of becoming inclusive
being inclusive and accessible based on the exist- and accessible must be wholly integrated with
ing strategy. It works well if it focuses on the de- the museum’s primary purpose and goals in so-
velopment of adaptations for the specific type of ciety. Zagreb City Museum mainly aims to pro-
visitors with special needs that can be later used mote the city’s history from its earliest begin-
for the strategy or even the beginning of oth- nings to its recent history. A significant part of
er adaptations. The positive approach shown the city’s history and development can be rec-
by the presented examples is the inclusion and ognised and interpreted only through archaeo-
development of minor adaptations of the per- logical finds. Finds in the museum have been ex-
manent exhibition. This way museum can also cavated throughout the city and removed from
their original context. As such, their interpre-
11 Professor emeritus ddr. Mitja Guštin, Mirela Hutinec, the tive potential is smaller than seeing them in situ,
director of the Vučedol culture museum and dr. Zrinka but it offers the museum curators the possibili-
Mileusnić from University of Primorska.
the exhibition included jewellery-making work- nificant impacts on the exhibition itself or any
museumaccessibility:developmentofgoodpracticeforthepromotionofarchaeologicalheritage 53 shops based on prehistoric jewellery, and three greater financial burden. Another positive as-
guest lectures by archaeologists11 inspired by the pect of the gradual introduction of adaptations
theme of the exhibition – small objects that tell to the permanent exhibition is the establishment
great and interesting stories. of communication with regular visitors, who are
educated and learn to accept the presence of vis-
Conclusion itors with special needs through the experience
The presented examples of adaptations at the Za- of the tactile info points, Braille and similar
greb City Museum were chosen because of their presentations.
specifics and tackle many of the challenges we
have mentioned in the introductory chapter. Its During our research, we found out that to
main challenge is the museum’s location in the attract visitors with special needs, the museum
city’s historical part, including the building it- offers organised guided visits and other adapt-
self. The open physical access, including the ac- ed activities, primarily for free and in collabora-
cessible public or private transportation to the tion with different societies of people with spe-
museum, and more extensive adaptations in the cial needs. As free admittance is not included in
museum building must include several minor the final sum of all visitors, we could not gain an
adaptive interventions in space, which will prob- insight into the number of visits. We find that
ably never satisfy the needs of all the groups of this is the main current challenge to be solved.
visitors with special needs. However, this lack of Even though visitors with special needs are vis-
physical adaptations might be lessened by using iting the museum, and their awareness of the
new technological and digital devices that will adapted museum programmes and accessibility
benefit visitors most of the museum experience. has probably changed over time, this could not
be measured by the possible increase in the num-
The long-lasting adaptive works have prov- ber of their visits. We are also unable to recog-
en that making a museum inclusive and accessi- nise which types of visitors with special needs
ble takes a long time. They must include several have accepted all the changes and have also be-
aspects of museum work, including communica- come regular visitors. This information would
tion, workshops, and organised programmes for also be valuable for the future planning and up-
potential visitors with special needs and their so- grades of adaptations for the specific types of vis-
cieties. As was shown, this communication and itors with special needs that still do not recog-
final products must go through different stag- nise that a museum is also a place for them.
es, including the constant evaluation processes,
to make necessary improvements. It is also clear The positive side of the presented examples
that the museum must take these steps towards shows that the process of becoming inclusive
being inclusive and accessible based on the exist- and accessible must be wholly integrated with
ing strategy. It works well if it focuses on the de- the museum’s primary purpose and goals in so-
velopment of adaptations for the specific type of ciety. Zagreb City Museum mainly aims to pro-
visitors with special needs that can be later used mote the city’s history from its earliest begin-
for the strategy or even the beginning of oth- nings to its recent history. A significant part of
er adaptations. The positive approach shown the city’s history and development can be rec-
by the presented examples is the inclusion and ognised and interpreted only through archaeo-
development of minor adaptations of the per- logical finds. Finds in the museum have been ex-
manent exhibition. This way museum can also cavated throughout the city and removed from
their original context. As such, their interpre-
11 Professor emeritus ddr. Mitja Guštin, Mirela Hutinec, the tive potential is smaller than seeing them in situ,
director of the Vučedol culture museum and dr. Zrinka but it offers the museum curators the possibili-
Mileusnić from University of Primorska.
