Program Summary

This program would allow enhanced access to works of art for adult museum visitors of all abilities. Many of the works in our collection were intended to be handled and used by their original owners; using 3D technology a series of works would be reproduced to allow visitors to explore the texture, scale, and sensory elements of proxy objects. While allowing visitors with low-vision, developmental disabilities, and Alzheimer’s primary access to works of art, these experiences would enhance the experience of all AIC visitors by engaging their curiosity, allowing them a unique tactile experience not otherwise possible in the galleries, and fostering greater understanding of form and function. This experiment needs to grapple with the effectiveness of tactile engagement considering difference in material translation between the object and the proxy object.