On 6 September 2024 the Rundāle Palace Museum hosted representatives of the Bauska Society for the Disabled to discuss the Museum’s accessibility and safety for visitors with functional impairments. The meeting took place within the scope of the European Heritage Days which this year focused on three main issues: securing public accessibility, access for people with functional impairments, and safety, while observing the high standards set for the preservation of cultural heritage.
The Rundāle Palace Museum has already made significant steps in this direction. Ramps for people in wheelchairs have been installed at some of the entrances to the palace. There is a wheelchair lift to allow the impaired visitors to move between the floors of the palace with the help of the museum employees. Persons with special needs and their companions are permitted to enter the Museum grounds in a vehicle to reduce the distance from the parking lot to the palace entrance. The main objective of the visit and the discussion that followed was to assess the current level of accessibility of the Museum to people with reduced mobility and the advisable improvements.
Conclusions and further improvements
One of the conclusions that emerged from the discussion was the necessity to provide the public with more abundant information on the existent services for visitors with reduced mobility, such as the possibility to pre-book a wheelchair for visiting both the premises of the Museum and the French garden. The fact that the Museum offers free admission to disabled visitors should also be advertised more broadly. In the near future, additional information signs will be placed in the territory of the Museum directing towards more convenient access possibilities.
Inclusive approach
The Rundāle Palace Museum extends its sincerest gratitude to the representatives of the Bauska Society for the Disabled for their valuable insights and suggestions that will allow us to improve the overall experience of people with special needs as well as museum visitors in general. It is an important part of our policy to make the Museum friendlier and more convenient to different groups of people.
Digital support
Digital stands placed in the premises of the main exhibition provide information on each room and objects on display. Moreover, information is also available online on the Museum’s website where it can be conveniently used during the visit as well as at home or elsewhere. The online Digital Guide ensures access to basic information about the Museum both in audio and textual formats, thus making the content of the Museum more accessible also to people with impaired vision and hearing.
When planning a visit to the Rundāle Palace Museum, please look at the section Getting here of the Museum’s website where essential information on convenient access to the entrance of the Museum can be found.
Openness to dialogue
The Rundāle Palace Museum will always be open for dialogue and new ideas to create a visitor-friendly environment that welcomes all people regardless of their physical condition or mobility.
11.09.2024.