A Study on the Application of Assistance Methods to Appreciate Historic Relics for People with Visually Disabilities

The purpose of this study is to evaluate appreciation assistance methods of 3D model printouts and audio explanations of four historical relics for blind people. As a result, five participants with visual disabilities recognized the main elements through appreciating 3D model printouts and audio explanations of historical relics. The participants responded that they were satisfied with being able to directly appreciate tactile objects from the historical relics. Also, they were satisfied that they learned about the parts of the 3D model printouts and historical backgrounds with audio explanations. Otherwise they could not know them with only tactile method. Through this study, we presented suggestions to address when providing assistance methods to appreciate historical relics for people with visual disabilities in museums. Future research is needed to make guidelines that take into account various factors that arise when museums provide appreciation assistance methods for those with visual disabilities.