Our team offers an invested and detailed collaboration. Philly Touch Tours will design, develop and offer a year-long series of up to 10 tactile and multi sensory programs in the galleries/permanent exhibition space, with related, custom designed and workshops. Tactile diagrams and large print information to enhance the program for blind and low vision visitors will also be provided.

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Partnership Program includes:

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•  Initial walkthrough of museum/cultural institution with written assessment

•  Accessibility Mission statement/rationale

•  Work with museum staff to development sustainable sensory tours and related workshops with objectives and goals

•  Engagement of advisory Vision Council made up of blind and low vision participants

•  Two three hour trainings of museum/cultural institution staff in greeting/working with

   visitors with vision loss

•  Creation of a narrative about selected touchable/sensory artifacts on site and for a related workshop.

•  Creation of a tour plan and script for guide/docent use

•  Creation of large print information packs for guests

•  Marketing/invitations for groups and organizations supporting members with vision loss (includes personal visits to   groups centers)

•  Hosting a preliminary tour/workshop to gather feedback and refine content with written documentation and oral   surveys.

• Presentation of documented materials at conclusion of program design

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• Professionally printed materials (including Braille and Large Print)

• Tactile materials, replica and artifacts, artist fees

• Original artifacts (maintenance and repair)

• Compensated entrance fees for visitors

• Transportation costs/Buses for visitors to and from the institution/museum

• Press Engagement                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Time Frame: 12-month engagement

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Philly Touch Tours provides Disability Awareness, Sensitivity Training and Principles of Best Practice for a wide range of professionals including museum and cultural institution staff, docents, volunteers,  university and grade school educators and students, medical professionals and students​ or any group that serves the general public and wishes to be better informed about their customers or clients with disabilities/vision loss.

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Is it OK to use the words 'look' and 'see' when speaking to a blind person?

Can people with vision loss see color and is it OK to ask? 

How do people who are  blind and low vision get around, shop, cook, visit museums, lead a full life?

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Find out more through this lively, open and informative session led by Philly Touch Tours’ team of consultants. We dispel misconceived and stereotypical notions and allay worries about socializing or working with people who have vision loss replacing them with a frank discussion about the preferred use of language, verbal description and other techniques that puts everyone at ease.

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While there is a focus on blindness and visual impairment there will be an overview about disability sensitivity in general and we guarantee that you will quickly understand the credo, "Nothing About Us Without Us"

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We offer half day or full day training sessions.                     

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​Reviews:

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Working with Philly Touch Tours has had a profound impact on how I think about visitor engagement in museums - not just regarding blind and visually impaired visitors but ALL museum visitors. I will never see the world in quite the same way again, and all our programming going forward will be richer because of this connection. I can’t thank-you enough!

 

- Jacqui Bowman, Director, Center for Education, Mütter Museum

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Weeks after our Disability Etiquette Training with Philly Touch Tours, my colleagues at the Library continue to praise it. The personal and interactive experiences with the trainers fostered a learning environment in which congeniality, openness, and insight predominated. Their unintimidating approach to provide us with practical methods to help us to continue to evolve into a more accessible institution had an invaluable effect on the staff.

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- Erika Piola, Associate Curator, Prints and Photographs Department Co-director, VCP at Library Company of Philadelphia

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Hearing from people with disabilities personally is the best way to build empathy. It made me realize that people with disabilities are a person first!

-  The training put you in people’s shoes and helped you relate to that person’s disability. I learned that you should ask if help is needed and not make assumptions.

-  The training session was motivating, encouraging, educational and the presenters were funny. I would definitely recommend this training workshop.

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- Health Partners Plans, Philadelphia, Customer Experience and Member Services staff

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