Museums of the Four Balkan countries are on a mission to increase accessibility for people with disabilities!
During 2021 and 2022, the National Museum in Kikinda (Republic of Serbia), the Homeland Museum of Knjaževac (Republic of Serbia), the Holocaust Memorial Center for the Jews of Macedonia (North Macedonia) and the Homeland Museum of Visoko (Bosnia and Herzegovina) will be involved in a regional project designed to improve the accessibility of museum programs and activities for people with disabilities.
This regional initiative was started by Milena Milošević Micić, museum advisor and art historian from the The Homeland Museum of Knjaževac in cooperation with colleagues from Bitola and Sarajevo.
The project will be realized through a series of activities, and the first step in improving the accessibility of the museum is the identification of existing barriers that stand in the way of inclusion of persons with disabilities in museum programs and activities. In addition to preparing an accessibility study for each of the four museums, the project also includes the following activities:
- training and exchange of experiences,
- production of digital elements, such as QR codes,
- production of audio-video material with interpretation in mother tongue, English and sign language,
- production of tactile elements for the visually impaired and blind,
- production of Braille material for interpretation of museum collections,
- procurement of didactic aids and toys,
- preparation and development of a website with an interactive map of museums in the Balkans,
- development of 3D models of objects from museum collections,
- procurement of equipment (two tablets with headphones for each participating museum),
- organization of international training (webinar).
All project activities will be realized in cooperation with experts from four partner museums and representatives of associations of persons with disabilities. The project team consists of four muses, members of the Balkan Museum Network: Aida Vežić, Aida Mia Brülisauer, Irena Ružin and Milena Milošević Micić.
“I am very happy that through this project I will have the opportunity to share my experience and knowledge that I gained as a member of the Balkan Museum Accessibility Group. For five years now, I have been auditing the accessibility of museums throughout the region and I have had the privilege of learning from the best in this field, “ said a team member Irena Ruzin from Bitola.
For more information about the project and the implemented activities, you can contact Milena Milošević Micić via email: milenija2901@gmail.com
The project “Making Balkans Museums More Accessible to Persons With Disabilities” is funded by the United States Embassy in Belgrade through the Alumni Small Grants Program.
The project is being implemented in partnership with the Balkan Museum Network.