Beneficiaries: The project directly serves visually impaired individuals in Armenia (ages 4+), including 300+ participants in the educational program, while indirectly benefiting all museum visitors through inclusive exhibits.
Project Areas: Yerevan, Armenia
The goal of the project:
To make the key content of the Matenadaran Museum accessible to people with visual impairments and to localize one of the existing educational programs for the specified target group.
The project aims to Foster inclusion and equal participation in observing Matenadaran's cultural heritage for blind people through enabling tactile access to cultural heritage through 3D-printed manuscripts, specialized tours, and multi-sensory workshops.
Objectives:
Objective 1․ Enhancing Physical and Content Accessibility
The foremost objective is to break down the physical and sensory barriers at the Matenadaran. This involves creating touchable 3D replicas of the museum’s key exhibits and khachkars (cross-stones), supplemented by audio descriptions in Armenian and English
Objective 2. Implementing Inclusive Educational Programming
The project aims to localize and adapt a specific thematic educational program tailored for the visually impaired. This objective goes beyond mere observation; it allows participants to "feel" history through the art of manuscript creation.
Objective 3․ Establishing a Model for National Inclusivity
A strategic objective is to position the Matenadaran as a pioneer of museum accessibility in Armenia.
This includes:
Professional Training: Educating museum staff on the specific skills needed to support visitors with disabilities.
Social Integration: Creating employment opportunities by hiring at least one visually impaired person on a contractual basis.
Knowledge Sharing: Acting as a catalyst for other Armenian museums to adopt similar inclusive practices, aligning with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
