Visit of the participants of the Camp for the Blind at the Maritime Museum of Piran

A camp bringing together blind and visually impaired people and their companions from all over Slovenia is being held in Piran for the third time. The camp changes location every three years. At the initiative and recommendation of Špela Pahor, a renowned storyteller and ethnologist who has been active in the field of cultural inclusion and education, the camp participants visited the Sergej Mašera Maritime Museum in Piran for the first time.

The visit to the museum was a very special experience for everyone. Under the expert guidance of Dr. Nadja Terčon, they took a detailed tour of the museum and spent more than two hours exploring it in depth. The participants were very satisfied with the tour, as it was tailored to their needs and conducted in an inclusive spirit.

They paid special attention to the replicas of museum objects, which were made as part of the Come-In! project and are intended for blind and visually impaired visitors. They were able to touch the exhibits in detail and thus directly experience part of the maritime heritage. Through vivid storytelling and detailed descriptions, Dr. Nadja Terčon also introduced them to objects that are displayed in showcases and cannot be touched. They were also able to touch some larger and  less fragile objects (an anchor, a cash box with three keys, a ship's figurehead). The curator herself invited them to explore these objects (as an exception).   
The visit once again confirmed the importance of cooperation and adapting cultural content to different groups of visitors, and how museums can become accessible to everyone with the right approach.

Prepared by: Nadja Terčon and Snježana Karinja

Photographs: Primož Ogrin