SAN FRANCISCO—The Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye announced a new tactile exhibit with four displays utilizing 3-D, tactile renderings of images, braille and sound to deliver visual information; the exhibit is intended to improve accessibility and inclusion for those who are blind and visually impaired. Open now and free to the public, the exhibit honors the legacy of Jay M. Galst, MD, an ophthalmologist, ophthalmic historian and avid collector of coins, tokens and medals related to the eye.

“Museums are places where art and objects are mainly experienced by sight," said Jenny Benjamin, director of the Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of the Eye. "That doesn’t leave a lot of opportunity for those with low vision or blindness to enjoy museums on their own. We were looking for ways to bring more sensory stimulation to our museum, so we partnered with Tactile Images, a company that specializes in creating accessible art and photography for the blind. This is also the first time we’ve introduced braille to our museum, something many visitors have said they would be interested in experiencing.”

In addition to using braille, the displays incorporate hand-activated sensors that play audio descriptions of the corresponding 3-D visual. Two of the tactile displays allow visitors to explore the anatomy of the eye and color vision in animals.