Visiting Rome: a tactile exhibition at the Napoleonic museum

If you decide to spend a holiday in Rome you surely are art lovers. Places of historical and cultural interest, monuments, paintings and sculptures, museums with works by leading artists of the past are the symbol of our beautiful capital. But if there is a person with disabilities in your family or group you are travelling with, visiting these places may not be very suitable either for the difficulties the disabled person might encounter, and to avoid they feel embarrassed. Since some years, however, this is no longer a problem, as thanks to a partnership between different local authorities and museums, also people with disabilities can visit museums and discover works of art, without any difficulty.
The Roman association managing culture took part to the new edition of the Biennale Artinsieme, proposing some events in several museums of the city, planning guided and tactile tours, guided by expert professionals, to grant the access to everybody.

In this expositions, several museums are involved, including the Musei Capitolini, the Centrale Montemartini, the Museo dei Fori Imperiali - Mercati di Traiano, Museo dell'Ara Pacis, Museo di Roma at Palazzo Braschi, the Museo Napoleonico, the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, the MACRO, the Museo Pietro Canonica, the Deposito delle Sculture di Villa Borghese, the Museo Carlo Bilotti - Aranciera Villa Borghese, Villa Torlonia (Casino Nobile and Casina delle Civette), and the Museo Civico di Zoologia. Most of these museums are involved in the Musei da Toccare - the tactile museums - to make museums without borders, accessible to the whole public, to any museum and any archaeological area. The aim is to overcome every kind of architectural and sensory barriers and to facilitate the inclusion of people with disabilities. Among the initiatives recently launched, some are very interesting, as organized in favour of blind people.

Where to visit a tactile exhibition in Rome
As we have previously reported, there are several museums in Rome adhering to the events of Musei da Toccare, but, in our opinion, if you want truly engaging experiences, it is appropriate you participate in the exhibitions of the Museo Napoleonico - the Napoleonic Museum. There will be a very articulate and diversified proposal of exhibitions planned to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
The first event you can attend will take place on February 9th, from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm, and it is an educational initiative, particularly suitable for blind people. This exhibition is completely inspired by the Napoleonic family. The museum actually is situated in the residence of Count Giuseppe Primoli, descendant of the Bonaparte family, preserving in its interior furnishings and works of art dating back to the time during which Napoleon reigned in Europe. The tour - led by specialized operators - is set up in a very suggestive setting, where the events of the Bonaparte family and its various representatives will be told. The exhibition will alternate moments in which different stories will be told, and moments in which the tactile experience will be the master.
Visitors will be able to touch jewellery, art objects, statues and busts in order to capture the evolution of fashions and trends during the nineteenth century, also tracing the history of Italy and Europe. In order to participate in the event, it is necessary to make a reservation within 24 hours before the beginning of the exhibition. To further promote participation in this type of events and the social integration of pupils and people with disabilities, this exhibition is proposed several times during the year and precisely on the following dates:

- 9th March, 2109
- 11th April, 2019
- 11th May, 2019
- 8th June, 2019
- 13th, July 2019
- 13th, September 2019
In this way, you will have the opportunity to plan the participation according to the period you decide to spend your holiday in Rome.

The tactile and sensory events at the Museo Napoleonico - the Napoleonic Museum
The splendid setting of the Museo Napoleonico has been the setting of several tactile and sensory initiatives for several years. The museum actually is directly involved in the important Biennale Artinsieme event, created in 2003, on the European Disability Year, repeated for 15 years no-stop. The main purpose of this initiative obviously is to promote the educational and social integration of people with disabilities, through the enhancement of cultural heritage. Museums, schools and any place of culture, represent the ideal location to set an exhibition or any other event that allows - through the sensations deriving from touch - to become familiar with the art world catching nuances, features, variations and improvements, as well as the changes that took place during a specific historical period.
Also the Napoleonic Museum - like any other institution, school or place of culture - must organize suitable activities for people with disabilities who have special needs, to participate fully and completely. This goal is achieved thanks to the elimination of every type of barrier, not only architectural, but also discriminatory, in order to propose a multi-sensory and multicultural approach to art.
The Napoleonic Museum followed the indications of the Museo Tattile Statale Omero - which provides clarifications and advice to create accessible paths and possible aids, with the very important collaboration of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism; it was necessary to organize the current tactile exhibition, but also for those of the past few years. Thanks to the enhancement of culture and artistic expression also guaranteed to people with disabilities, we can achieve the growth and education of all participants. Thanks to these events, the Napoleonic Museum helps the promotion of activities facilitating access to cultural and artistic heritage, and it plays an important social action in favour of people who, in the absence of such events, would not be able to participate.