Navigating large museums can be a challenge for visitors, especially for those who are blind or have low vision. While tools like mobile apps and printed maps provide guidance, they can often be confusing and frustrating. Addressing these issues, a recent project, the BentoMuseum, offers a solution by integrating digital fabrication with multimodal interaction to help visitors build a mental map of museum spaces.
Challenges in Museum Accessibility
Museums are designed to present information to a wide range of visitors with diverse sensory, cognitive, and motor abilities. This challenge becomes even greater in museums housed in historic buildings, which often cannot be extensively remodeled for accessibility. Though efforts such as turn-by-turn navigation and tactile maps have helped, these solutions are still limited in assisting visitors with specific navigation needs, particularly those with visual impairments.
The BentoMuseum: A Multisensory Approach
The BentoMuseum introduces an innovative approach to museum accessibility with a 3D-printed, stackable model resembling a bento box. Each floor layer attaches magnetically, featuring distinct textures that allow visitors to trace layouts and learn about the museum’s design. This setup helps visitors preplan their visit, building a mental map of the space before they arrive. Additionally, the model offers audio feedback: when a layer is placed on an iPad, visitors receive information about various sections through touch-activated audio cues.
In testing, the BentoMuseum was used by 12 blind participants, who navigated a local museum confidently and independently after familiarizing themselves with the model. The project’s designers found that this hands-on approach empowered participants to explore the museum space without constant guidance.
Expanding Accessibility to New Spaces
While the BentoMuseum has shown promise for museum environments, the developers also envision applications in other large, complex spaces like airports, amusement parks, and convention centers. By presenting information across multiple modalities—audio, touch, and visual—the BentoMuseum model could support diverse visitor preferences, benefiting not only those with visual impairments but also those who learn better through different sensory inputs.
For readers interested in a more detailed examination of the BentoMuseum’s development and applications, the full research paper is available at the ACM digital library.
The BentoMuseum represents a significant step forward in accessible design, offering a model that could inspire more inclusive and empowering visitor experiences across various public spaces.