Engaging the d/Deaf Audience in Museums: A Case Study at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

ABSTRACT

This article addresses ways that museums can strengthen programming for d/Deaf audiences. Through the development and study of a tour for a d/Deaf audience conducted through signing and oral translation at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon (Portugal), the author examines issues of language, identity and inclusion. She argues that the use of sign language is critical, and that Deaf visitors’ engagement is enhanced when tours are given by Deaf tour guides. This article highlights common pathways for museums to better relate to d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Accessibility
• deaf audiences
• education program
• Museum inclusion
• sign languages

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

About the author

Patrícia Roque Martins, holds a doctorate (Ph.D.) in Museology from the Universidade de Lisboa-Faculdade de Belas Artes in Portugal, where she developed the thesis: “Museus (in)Capacitantes–deficiência, acessibilidades e inclusão em museus de arte” ((dis)Abling Museums–impairments, access and inclusion in art museums) funded by a fellowship of the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (the Portuguese national funding agency for science, research and technology). Currently, she is a postdoctoral fellow in the Faculdade de Letras – Universidade do Porto, Portugal. Patrícia’s current research explores questions of post-social theory and museology, museums and disability, inclusion, identity and representation issues.

ORCID details

Patrícia Roque Martins http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6479-0783

Notes

1. The author uses Deaf with capital letter to mention the Deaf community. To mention deaf people the author will use lower case letters.

2. Gomes. “A Reconfiguração Política da Surdez e da Educação de Surdos em Portugal.”

3. Kalisher. “Reexamining Diversity.”

4. Goss et al., “Understanding the Multilingualism and Communication of Museum Visitors.”

5. Roque Martins, “Museus (In)Capacitantes.”

6. Silverman, The Social Work.

7. Deafworks, Access for People to Museums & Galleries.

8. Walters. “Approaches in Museums.”