The new Islamic Arts department at the Louvre welcomes its very diverse visitors with a carefully designed space focused on sharing and promoting equal access to knowledge and to the museum’s collections.
Visitors’ with visual impairments can move through the exhibit spaces surrounding the nine tactile kiosks created with the support of the Orange Foundation. The kiosks illustrate the major design elements (images, calligraphy, interlacing plant motifs, geometry, etc.) seen in the works on display. Each kiosk includes a reproduction of one of the objects on display, along with a text written in large characters and also available in Braille.
The tactile pathway is based on a coherent theme, which focuses on decorative elements in Islamic art. All nine kiosks are tied together by this overall theme. Each of the kiosks presents an object from the collection and features a detailed study based on its decorative elements.
The pathway, which is open to all, can be enjoyed by the general public. The information and carefully developed educational content it offers give families a way to explore the space together.
The 9 kiosks were created by Tactile Studio, a small company which specialises in accessibility for cultural sites and creating tactile images for people with visual impairments.
