This page lists tactile museums or special exhibits specifically created for blind people. It only includes exhibits where there is a substantial amount of things to touch, museums with audio tours only are not included here.
The ACB web site contains a list of museums which offer audio description in the United States.
If you are aware of any similar museums, please contact me and I will add it to the list.
How is this list created?
Originally it started based on my own personal observations throughout my travels. Whenever it was feasible, I wrote about the accessibility of musums I visited. When I found that there was an interest in this collection, I started researching museums and added more based on their accessibility description on their web site. Whenever it was possible, I verified this information with the museum. Also, whenever it is available, the link points to the accessibility page on a web site if it is available.
Later people started contacting me with other resources, which I was not able to verify neither on the site, nor with the museum, or simply, I just didn’t get to checking with the museum yet. Until I have more tangible information, I put “verified by visitor” under the description. I have no reason to believe that the information is incorrect, since most of the people who contact me base it on personal experience, what I would like to know if there is a sufficient tactile experience at the museum, and not just one or two things to touch. I would consider a one hour tactile education or entertainment sufficient, except of course, when the museum itself is so small that there isn’t enough to fill an hour though that’s always subjective.
Andy Warhol Museum
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Throughout the museum, there are tactile art reproductions. There is an audio guide, and guided tours can be scheduled in advance.
Verified by visitor
Anubhav
New Delhi, India
A tactile experience inside the national museum. 22 replicas of museum objects representing 5000 years of Indian art.
American Museum of Natural History
New York, NY, USA
They have touchable objects on display in the majority of the halls, and they also offer touch tours, called “Science Sense” tours, by request to any visitor. You can find more information in the “For Blind Visitors” section of the Accessibility page.
Verified by employee.
American Museum of Natural History web site
Audain Art Museum
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Not listed on the web site, but touch tours are available upon request.
Verified by visitor.
Bank of Canada Museum
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
A portion of the exhibit is specifically designed to be explored by touch. There are things to hold, touch, interact with, even smell. 3D replicas and braille descriptions are also available.
Bank of Canada Museum web site
My review of the Bank of Canada Museum
Braille Library of China
Beijing, China
The library houses a dedicated museum space designed specifically for visually impaired visitors, featuring over 700 exhibits that provide tactile and auditory experiences.
Verified by visitor
Braille Library of China web site
British Museum
London, United Kingdom
The museum offers dedicated touch tours in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery and the Parthenon Gallery. Supporting materials include tactile drawings with Braille information.
Canadian Museum of History
Ottawa, Canada
They have a special guided touch tour for blind people, but the museum in general has enough things to touch. Contact them through the web site or call in a few weeks in advance.
The Canadian Museum of History web site
Read my review about the Canadian Museum of History
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
St. Michaels, Maryland, United States
This museum offers interactive and tactile opportunities throughout its 18-acre waterfront campus, exploring the maritime history and culture of the Chesapeake Bay.
Verified by visitor
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum web site
Childrens’ museums in general
As these museums are primarily tactile and not collection based, there is a lot to touch there. For detailed information, it is worth calling ahead about what exactly you will find at a given location, but you can be sure that there will be something to enjoy for your kids without vision.
Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati, OH, United States
A guided touch tour is available. Includes a great variety of objects and tactile representations. Advanced reservation is required.
Cincinnati Art Museum web site
Read my review about the Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Separate from the Cincinnati Art Museum, this center offers bronze tactile statues in the Dinosaur Hall and Ice Age galleries, along with numerous touch-activated features.
Verified by visitor
Cincinnati Museum Center web site
Des Moines Art Center
Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Guided tactile tours at the museum and sculpture park. Schedule at least two weeks in advance.
Verified by employee
Des Moines Art Center web site
Elizabeth Morse Touch Gallery
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
The touch gallery is an exhibit of statues, specifically designed for visually impaired visitors. The gallery provides tactile access to select sculptures, allowing blind and visually impaired individuals to experience art through touch. Additionally, accessible descriptions and information are provided in both Braille and large print, along with audio descriptions.
Elizabeth Morse Touch Gallery web site
Fort Collins Discovery Museum
Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
The museum features dedicated hands-on labs, a fossil wall for discovery by touch, and exhibits like “Once Upon a Playground” that explicitly invite physical interaction.
Verified by visitor
Fort Collins Discovery Museum web site
Fort Ticonderoga Museum
Fort Ticonderoga, New York, United States
They have items on display to touch, and until the end of October, 2024 five tactile historic mapst will be available as well.
Confirmed by consultant.
Fort Ticonderoga Museum web site
Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Many objects to touch
- 3D replicas and braille materials
- Made to be accessible
Harriet Beecher Stowe House web site
My review of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Touch tours available, request at least one week in advance.
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East web site
House from a Christmas Story
Cleveland, OH, United States
The house is enjoyable without a guided tour, but it is recommended to ask that the tour guide would help you find things you can touch. Ask if Chuck is there, he is amazing. The museum part is more of a visual experience, but the guide’s explanations are worth it.
Read my review about the house and the museum
Intrepid Museum
New York, NY, United States
The museum offers Verbal Description and Touch Tours by request. They also provide a “Verbal Description and Tactile Guide” that includes raised images and Braille to support self-guided exploration.
Mashburn/Marshall Tactile Gallery – Fine Arts Center
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
The Mashburn/Marshall Tactile Gallery is fully accessible, designed to be enjoyed by people of all abilities. Visitors are encouraged to touch each object or experience the exhibits through other senses, making it especially welcoming for individuals with visual impairments.
Mashburn/Marshall Tactile Gallery – Fine Arts Center web site
Milwaukee Public Museum
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
The Milwaukee Public Museum has a permanent tactile gallery that features mostly real objects, to explore through touch, Braille, large print, and audio. There are real furs, objects, animal horns, etc. Staff are trained in accessibility engagement and communication.
Verified by employee.
Milwaukee Public Museum web site
Museu Afro Brasil
São Paulo, Brazil
This museum features 3D object replicas of artifacts and paintings, allowing visitors to explore the collection through touch under the guidance of teachers or museum staff.
Verified by visitor
Museo Tiflologico
Madrid, Spain
Established and maintained by ONCE,.
- Reproductions of national and international monuments
- Art pieces by blind and partially sighted artists
- Typhlologic material
My review of the Typhlological Museum
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Guided tours need to be requested in advance. They also offer monthly virtual Zoom tours.
Museum of Fine Arts Boston web site
Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind
Louisville, KY, United States
Books, maps and other equipment used by blind people. Also offers a traveling exhibit. Probably the largest exhibit of its kind.
Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind web site
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
Winchester, Virginia, United States
Though it is not updated on the web site yet, you can request a touch tour.
Verified by employee
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley web site
National Building Museum
Washington DC, United States
By default the museum does not land itself as a tactile experience, upon request a touch tour can be organized which provides enough tactile experience. Call the accessibility line from the web site to contact them.
National Building Museum web site
My review of the National Building Museum
National Underground Rail Road Freedom Center
Cincinnati, OH, United States
Though the museum does not specifically advertise to have a tactile experience, they are very accessible and there is a lot to touch. For that matter, they encourage visitors to touch objects.
Underground Rail Road Freedom Center web site
My review of the National Underground Railroad Center
North Carolina Museum of Art
Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Tactile tours available, request at least two weeks in advance.
North Carolina Museum of Art web site
Oscar Niemeyer Museum (MON)
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
The “MON for Everyone” program offers tactile models, miniature replicas, and original sculptures that can be explored by touch. Audioguides and Braille descriptions are also provided.
Verified by visitor
Oscar Niemeyer Museum web site
Please Touch Museum
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
This museum is primarily designed for children and is inherently tactile and interactive, focusing on hands-on engagement and play rather than static collections.
Portland Art Museum
location
Currently have four tactile graphics. A guided tour can be requested in advance.
Some of the museum is under construction, expected to be completed in 2025, when they will have many more tactile options. It is worth contacting them and signing up on their mailing list where you can get information about new tours and exhibitions for blind and visually impaired people.
Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, Netherlands
People can independently navigate the museum using their app, or a touch tour can be requested. You can easily spend at least a half day at the museum.
Smithsonian Numismatic Collection
Washington, D.C., United States
The Really Big Money exhibit is created for students to be fully accessible. At the numismatic collection, there are other accessibility features, and tours can be requested.
In general the Smithsonian is a very accessible organization, here is their accessibility page. There are many more accessible exhibits, I will expand these as I get to visit them.
Smithsonian Numismatic Collection web site
My review of the Smithsonian Numismatic Collection
About my visit to the Smithsonian Numismatic Collection
Sonnenborgh Museum & Observatory
Utrecht, Netherlands
This museum and observatory offers historical and scientific exploration, including tactile elements and interactive building activities within its historic bastion.
Verified by visitor
Statue of Liberty Museum
New York City, New York, United States
The museum features several tactile displays throughout its interactive galleries. Combined with the audio-described tour, it provides over an hour of accessible exploration.
Verified by visitor
Statue of Liberty Museum web site
Tactual Museum
Athens, Greece
Created by the Lighthouse for the Blind.
Copies of original ancient Greek artwork. Buildings, statues, coins, vessels among other things. Also offers educational programs.
Tokyo National Museum
Tokyo, Japan
The museum includes tactile maps in the Japanese Gallery (Honkan) and dedicated “Hands-on” rooms where visitors can touch various materials and historical replicas.
They also have good instructions on how to get there using public transportation.
Tokyo National Museum web site
Toledo Museum of Art
Toledo, Ohio, United States
The museum provides “Touch Tours” in collaboration with the Sight Center of Northwest Ohio. These docent-led tours allow visitors to engage with sculptures in the galleries by touch.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York, NY, United States
The touch collection has a wide array of objects, requires reservation.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art web site
The Museum of Flight
Seattle, WA, United States
The museum offers regular touch tours for blind and visually impaired people, the tour is about 1.5 hours long. Register in advance on their accessibility page.
My review of the Museum of Flight
United States Capitol
Washington, D.C., United States
They offer tactile and described tours of the Capitol building, and there are tactile exhibits and audio description available in the Exhibition Hall area of the Capitol Visitor Center. On the tour of the Capitol itself, they have a tactile map of the National Mall with all of its museums and monuments.
Verified by employee
United States Capitol web site
Uffizi by touch
Florence, Italy
Representing about 30 artworks from ancient times.