Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond VA is poised this spring to launch a new interpretive tool for visually impaired guests: a tactile map of six gardens comprising our Central Garden. Developed over the past two years in collaboration with the Virginia Commonwealth University's program in biomedical engineering, local landscape architects, and community volunteers who are blind or visually impaired, the tactile map provides its reader with a Braille key to the various marks delineating pathways, structures, and landscape features of our Central Garden. Printed on Thermoform paper, the 11" x 17" mapbooks make it possible for visually impaired guests to independently navigate formal garden areas incorporating many types of paving materials, curb edges, tree wells, seat walls, and water features.
The Garden is interested in guidance from other museums and public gardens using similar assistive technologies for differently abled guests. What front line training methods, protocols, and/or resources have you used to help guest services staff feel confident and comfortable in their interactions with visually impaired guests?
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Randee Humphrey
Director of Education
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Inc.
Richmond VA
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