Open Forum

We have typically utilized braille in places in the exhibit where we are inviting touch. For example, our dinosaur gallery has bronze sculptures that have a touchable skeleton on one side. We have corresponding braille to give some context.  We chose not to incorporate all of the copy into braille due to space and budget. We use a company here in Cincinnati (not too far away!) named Photo Lab Inc. (https://www.photolabinc.com/) and they have a process where they can embed raster beads into a graphic surface and they have held up fairly well. I would recommend going with the brass beads and not the plastic ones (the plastic ones tend to pop out a little more easily). While developing the graphics, we worked with Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (https://clovernook.org/) to provide guidance and convert our copy into a vector file for print. Hope this helps!

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Fern Linziger
Exhibits Designer
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
CINCINNATI OH
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2022 10:32 AM
From: Martin Fisher
Subject: Braille in/on exhibit signs

Do any of your respective institutions add any kind of exhibit interpretation with Braille? If yes; how, what type of material? 

Thanks,

Martin 

--

Martin S. Fisher
Executive Director
Science Central
1950 North Clinton Street
Fort Wayne, IN  46805
Phone: 260-424-2400 ext. 441
Fax: 260-422-2899
Cellular: 260-452-4047
Email: mfisher@sciencecentral.org
www.sciencecentral.org
41°5'52" N  85°7'8" W  756 ft.

Spark Your Imagination!

Hi Martin,

I would love to hear directly from members of the disability community in this thread. Before the plague, I partnered with my university's Office of Disability Support Services for an art exhibition done by people with disabilities. The leader of that department (who lives with a visual impairment themselves) shared how Braille is becoming a lost language. In the smartphone era, it's really easy for phones to use cameras to capture and speak written text. You may find your visitors with disabilities are able to use apps that read your labels, thus potentially eliminating the need for Braille. 

Again, I think your visitors with disabilities and other members of the community should add their experiences and let that drive whether (or not) you add Braille. 

All the best,

------------------------------
George Garner (he/him/his)
Assistant Director & Curator
Civil Rights Heritage Center - Indiana University, South Bend
South Bend IN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2022 10:32 AM
From: Martin Fisher
Subject: Braille in/on exhibit signs

Do any of your respective institutions add any kind of exhibit interpretation with Braille? If yes; how, what type of material? 

Thanks,

Martin 

--

Martin S. Fisher
Executive Director
Science Central
1950 North Clinton Street
Fort Wayne, IN  46805
Phone: 260-424-2400 ext. 441
Fax: 260-422-2899
Cellular: 260-452-4047
Email: mfisher@sciencecentral.org
www.sciencecentral.org
41°5'52" N  85°7'8" W  756 ft.

Spark Your Imagination!

I am a Braille reader, and my short reply to to George's message is "yes and" That is, yes, I would welcome a Braille sign about the ehxibit, and if available, I would scan a QR code with my phone to access more information.

There are systematic and cultural issues that explain why Braille isn't being taught to those who need it. See my recent post and the links there for more information.
https://museumsenses.org/braille-is-essential/

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Cheryl Fogle-Hatch PhD
consultant
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-12-2022 04:22 PM
From: George Garner
Subject: Braille in/on exhibit signs

Hi Martin,

I would love to hear directly from members of the disability community in this thread. Before the plague, I partnered with my university's Office of Disability Support Services for an art exhibition done by people with disabilities. The leader of that department (who lives with a visual impairment themselves) shared how Braille is becoming a lost language. In the smartphone era, it's really easy for phones to use cameras to capture and speak written text. You may find your visitors with disabilities are able to use apps that read your labels, thus potentially eliminating the need for Braille.

Again, I think your visitors with disabilities and other members of the community should add their experiences and let that drive whether (or not) you add Braille.

All the best,

------------------------------
George Garner (he/him/his)
Assistant Director & Curator
Civil Rights Heritage Center - Indiana University, South Bend
South Bend IN

Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2022 10:32 AM
From: Martin Fisher
Subject: Braille in/on exhibit signs

Do any of your respective institutions add any kind of exhibit interpretation with Braille? If yes; how, what type of material? 

Thanks,

Martin 

--

Martin S. Fisher
Executive Director
Science Central
1950 North Clinton Street
Fort Wayne, IN  46805
Phone: 260-424-2400 ext. 441
Fax: 260-422-2899
Cellular: 260-452-4047
Email: mfisher@sciencecentral.org
www.sciencecentral.org
41°5'52" N  85°7'8" W  756 ft.

Spark Your Imagination!