Smartphonic

Nobody who explores an art gallery or museum should feel that they’ve missed out on something that everyone else can enjoy. Labels and text panels are fundamental ways of sharing ideas and information, so they should be as accessible as possible. With digital technology, we can offer an alternative for visitors who find text problematic.

Approximately 1 in 25 people are severely dyslexic. Here’s how a printed description might appear to them…

It’s a lot to read, and not just for severely dyslexic visitors – people with mild dyslexia (10% of the UK population) might struggle through the first few rows of text, then skip to the next exhibit.

They belong to a larger group of people with literacy issues (15% of the general population). Now let’s add on people who are blind or who have significant sight loss (another 3%), and include visitors who can’t move their wheelchairs into a suitable reading position, who are light sensitive, or who simply left their reading glasses at home. The grand total comes to around 20% of potential visitor numbers. Even for small collections, this means that thousands of people could be missing out at your venue… every year.

Let’s say your digital guide comprises 15 exhibits. How long would it take you to read out the display text for each item and record them on a phone? These clips can then be uploaded to a free hosting site such as Soundcloud or your own FTP, and you can create links to them on Smartphonic AXS at no additional cost to your main tour.

Access isn’t an obligation, it’s an opportunity. Let’s add to people’s enjoyment of public collections, give them a sense of belonging and encourage more return visits.