The Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC has a "touch Tour"
for the visually impaired- although there is no recorded
audio component, visitors are allowed to touch certain
sculptures that have been appproved by the curator.
Tours must be docent-led, and as the visually impaired
person is touching the sculpture, the docent describes the
piece and its thematic and historical context. The tours
seem to work best when there is a very small group or
one-on-one with the docent.

I believe that the Philadelphia Museum of Art as well as the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New york have "touch tour"
programs.

Hope this is helpful.

>>> Jeffrey Allison <[log in to unmask]>
08/11/98 12:13pm >>>
I am posting this for a colleague here at the Virginia
Museum of Fine
Arts.

The Tour Services Department is developing a tour which
would meet the
needs of visually impaired visitors.  Allowing blind and
visually
impaired people to touch art objects gives these visitors
an intimate,
personal and multi-sensory experience that docent-led
audio tours cannot
offer.  This department is searching for any fine art
museum that offers
docent or staff-led 'touch tours'-tours which include audio
description
and direct touching of the objects--to visually impaired
visitors.
Names of individual institutions which offer such tours are
sufficient,
however, any additional information would be welcome.

Thank you for your help and thanks to all who responded
to my previous
request for information on visitor designed tours
software
Jeffrey Allison
Coordinator, Statewide Programs
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
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<mailto:[log in to unmask]>