Making Museums Accessible in Sign Language – A Commitment to Inclusion and Respect

Free access to culture is one of the fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Romanian Constitution. Museums, as keepers of collective memory and promoters of national heritage, should be open and welcoming spaces for all people, regardless of their disabilities and abilities. For the deaf community, the accessibility of information in the Romanian Sign Language (RSL) is not only a benefit, but a necessity in order to be able to fully live the cultural experience.

Sign language is the first language for many members of the deaf community, and information available only in written or audio format does not always meet their needs. Without explanations and guidance in RSL, a museum visit can become a frustrating and incomplete experience. By making it accessible, we’re not just providing translations, but really opening the doors of culture to a whole community that has for too long often been ignored in these spaces.

Our Foundation has realized the importance of this approach and, out of a desire to turn the museum visit into a truly inclusive experience, we have started to collaborate with prestigious cultural institutions: the University Museum in Bucharest, the Art Museum in Constanta and the Braila Museum . These are a first step towards nationwide accessibility, our dream is that all cultural institutions will have interpretation in RSL in the future.

In a modern and democratic society, diversity and accessibility are not optional but essential. Culture must be a space of encounter, empathy and equal participation, regardless of the language in which we communicate. And every step we take to make museums accessible is a step towards a fairer, more open and beautiful world for all.

Accessibility is not just about translation, but openness, respect and engagement. We continue to work with determination, together with our partners, so that the right to culture is a living and real right for the entire deaf community in Romania.