- The Hunt Museum has been recognised as a Cultural & Heritage Legend
- The Seeing Without Sight project was co-created by blind and visually impaired co-creators
- The exhibition features audio descriptions, 3D printed replicas and Braille labels
- The project challenges assumptions that museums are shaped by sight
- It has been recognised as a model of best practice across Europe
Limerick’s Hunt Museum has been recognised as a Cultural & Heritage Legend by The National Lottery Good Causes. Central to this recognition is Seeing Without Sight, a pioneering project which resulted in a highly innovative, accessible and multisensory exhibition. Co-created by blind and visually impaired co-creators, the project harnessed their lived experience of disability and their passion for cultural heritage to make museum collections more accessible and engaging for visitors of all ages, especially those with disability.
During the project, the museum’s co-creators, staff and volunteers co-created 35 audio descriptions. A selection of these were recorded by co-creators and presented in the exhibition along with highly tactile 3D printed object replicas, Braille labels, a screen reader compatible information panel and other access accommodations. Together, these components enabled visitors to use their senses to experience museum objects in new and exciting ways.
The project challenges a fundamental assumption about museums: that they are shaped by sight. Instead, it shows that heritage belongs to everyone. The project has since been recognised as a model of best practice across Europe.
In all, three sites or activities were declared Cultural & Heritage Legends by the Irish National Lottery Good Cause Legends are:
- The Hunt Museum (Limerick): An iconic museum housing thousands of historic artefacts and art pieces ranging from the Neolithic period to modern times.
- Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival (Cork): A unique cultural festival held on an island off the coast of Cork that keeps the ancient tradition of Irish storytelling alive.
- Fishamble: The New Play Company (Dublin): A multi-award-winning theatre company dedicated to finding, developing, and producing new Irish dramatic works
