The National Gallery of Modern Art (GNAM) in Rome is to launch an experimental project to make the museum more inclusive for people with learning disabilities.
'Museum for all' foresees provision of a free downloadable guide that has been designed to narrate the collections clearly and simply through eight specific works. The guide - available on the GNAM website - "will change the way of experiencing the museum with the aim of making all visitors feel at ease," said Carlo Riva, director of 'L'abilità associazione onlus', that has implemented the project in partnership with the De Agostini Foundation and GNAM. 'Museum for all' is expected to be rolled out definitively in March or April, after an initial period of trial and evaluation.
"Many at GNAM have taken part in staff training in order to be able to provide everyone, and particularly people with learning disabilities, with an assisted reading guide and a permanent educational programme for the free fruition of the museum," GNAM educational services manger Emanuela Garrone said.
The project intends to "make the invisible visible", not just for particular types of disability such as Down Syndrome or autism but also for so-called neurotypical people, enabling them to overcome their limitations and open themselves up to a different way of experiencing art. It takes into account characteristics common to people with mental disorders such as problems of concentration and memory. To this end, the description of the museum and artworks uses short and direct sentences so as to transform the visit into a real learning experience. The artworks chosen for the project include Antonio Canova's monumental marble sculpture 'Hercules and Lica', 'Battle of San Martino' by Michele Cammarano, 'Big Red' by Alberto Burri, 'The gardener' by Van Gogh and 'The Three Ages of Woman' by Gustav Klimt, among the most famous artworks in the GNAM collection.
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