MADRID.- The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza is presenting Tocar para ver, an accessible route with tactile reliefs of paintings, first devised in 2023 by the Education Department. This initiative makes five works from the collection accessible to people with visual impairment, as well as to all visitors, allowing us to understand them in a different way: through touch.

The proposal is part of the collaborative programme Museo Fácil, a project supported by Fundación Iberdrola España which each year promotes the development of different cognitive and sensory accessibility resources. Based on participatory construction and universal design, it aims to foster equitable access to the museum's works and content by seeking out and creating accessible spaces, activities and content for everyone.

Located alongside the original works, the smaller-scale reproductions have been created using advanced modelling and relief technologies and techniques that facilitate the understanding of the forms and compositions of each painting. Each support includes Braille text and NaviLens QR codes, which provide access to audio content from visitors' mobile devices.

In addition, the texts of the tactile exploration guides have been developed and validated, then adapted to accessible language and made available in easy-to-read format on the museum's website.

The selected works span different time periods and artistic styles: The Annunciation Diptych (ca. 1433 – 1435) by Jan van Eyck; Interior of the Council Chamber of Amsterdam Town Hall (ca. 1663 – 1665) by Pieter Hendricksz. de Hooch; Les Vessenots in Auvers (1890) by Vincent van Gogh; The Psyche mirror (1876) by Berthe Morisot; and The Smoker (Frank Haviland) (1913) by Juan Gris. These five works make up the tactile route Tocar para ver, allowing visitors to discover details that go unnoticed at first glance.

Collaborative work and universal design

People with and without disabilities with extensive experience in accessibility have participated in the development of this project: Xisca Rigo Pons is a member and the secretary of the ASEPAU - Profesionales de la Accesibilidad Universal (Spanish Association of Universal Accessibility Professionals), a psychologist and head of the technological development department of the Ceapat - Centro Estatal de Autonomía Personal y Ayudas Técnicas (State Centre for Personal Autonomy and Technical Aids); Fernando García Soria has worked as an audiovisual accessibility technician; María Jesús Vicente Mosquete is a psychologist and expert in the rehabilitation of people with visual disabilities who also worked as an advisor to the personal autonomy department of the ONCE until 2018; Patricia Andreo Vila is a philologist and volunteer for the English language tours at the Museo Tiflológico; and Mariano Fresnillo Poza is a blind journalist with experience in the fields of culture and accessibility.

The bodies participating in the project are the AMEB - Asociación Madrileña de Espina Bífida (Madrid Spina Bifida Association), Fundación AMÁS, the Centres for the Elderly in Puente de Vallecas, and a team of people with visual disabilities who have experience in the evaluation and validation of tactile materials.

They are joined by volunteers from different entities: Lola Triviño Moya, Carmen León Alaña, Ana María Borrego, Eva de la Guía Araque, Juan Millán Huerta and Cristina Pérez Bosch.

The museum team and technical collaborators

Responsible for the supervision and coordination of the project is Ferreras Marcos, head of the museum’s Education department, together with the educators Alberto Gamoneda Marijuan, María Quintas Velasco and Ana Gómez González, with the technological support of Salvador Martín Moya.

The production and design of the reliefs was developed by Estudios Durero; the design and creation of the supports by Dime Museos; the narration and translation by Altalingua, and the design and printing of the labels by Gratex.

“It is extremely gratifying to once again present the results of our collaboration with Fundación Iberdrola; working together to guarantee the universal right to culture and ensuring the active participation of all sectors of the public. Here at the museum we make culture a dynamic energy that transforms people's lives, generates cohesion and facilitates social inclusion”, in the words of Evelio Acevedo, managing director of the Museo Thyssen- Bornemisza.

For Ramón Castresana, director of Fundación Iberdrola: “This is a project of great interest and importance to the Foundation, as we believe that accessibility in museums is fundamental in order for all citizens to enjoy art without borders. At Fundación Iberdrola we consider that technology is essential for projects of this type, in which art can be touched. We firmly believe that museums are our universal heritage, for which reason they must be inclusive places where we can all participate and enjoy the world of art.”