Museums, now more than ever before, are committed to the inclusion of all
members of society, aiming to promote similar visitor experiences for their
various patrons. With the challenging mission of exhibiting and communicating
humanity's common heritage, while also preserving it, the creation of an
inclusive museum experience is a complex task with multiple dimensions.
This article aims to contribute to the field of accessibility in museums by
discussing the three main stages of designing the Wise Stones Accessible Circuit,
a five-year project which aimed to enhance access at the MM Gerdau Museum
in Brazil by creating an interactive tactile exhibit displaying original artifacts from
the museum's collection.
A participatory methodology was adopted throughout the project in which 37
professionals from multidisciplinary fields at various institutions, and 151
visitors, who performed a formal evaluation of the digital interactives, were
involved. Conclusions and implications of designing accessible digital
interactives, with feedback from as wide range a of visitors as possible, are
presented. Although the project's main goal was to enhance the museum
experience for persons with disabilities, it ended up benefitting all visitors.
