Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

To ensure the inclusion of the blind and visually impaired, the "Made to Measure" segment of our education and public engagement department has long been organizing especially adapted tours for groups. The Royal Museums have also put in place a number of other valuable tools for blind and visually impaired visitors, such as audio guides with audio descriptions and tactile reproductions of the art works in our galleries.

In light of our commitment to accessibility and inclusion, it is only natural that we are joining hands with the Ligue Braille for the Brussels leg of their Tactile Tour, a travelling exhibition designed and created for the blind and visually impaired by Rémy Closset, member of the French association Valentin Haüy. 12 reproductions of paintings or tapestries, which were printed in 3D on the basis of careful computer models, will be on display from 6 to 18 November 2023 at the Ligue Braille (Rue England 57, 1060 Brussels).

The 3D printing technique provides a precise, detailed and solid rendering. This unique tool, coupled with adapted audio descriptions, enable blind and visually impaired people to grasp a particular art work in all its dimensions.

With the coming of the Tactile Tour to Brussels, the Ligue Braille present the RMFAB a unique gift: a relief reproduction of Pieter Bruegel's The Fall of Icarus, one of the masterpieces of our Old Masters Museum. Adapted guided tours of the RMFAB collections will be organised with the Ligue Braille for the duration of the exhibition. To close the Tactile Tour on Saturday 18 November, a performance is also planned at the Magritte Museum, with the activation of the socle - inscribed with Braille - of Fabrice Samyn's work, Voir des nues.

Ample opportunity for our museums to promote diversity in the museum experience.