The Warrior Emperor is the most accessible exhibition in the ROM’s history

Museum adds tactile objects to exhibition

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) has installed four tactile replicas located on labeled Braille plinths in its feature exhibition The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta Army. The reproductions, corresponding to original artifacts displayed in nearby cases, include a ding ritual vessel, a kneeling archer, a cavalry soldier on a horse, and a dancer. The inclusion of these reproductions, and several other enhancements, distinguish The Warrior Emperor as the most accessible exhibition in the Museum’s history.

Cheryl Blackman, the ROM’s Head of Visitor Experience, states, “The ROM is committed, through its Accessibility Strategy to remove barriers to participation for its visitors with disabilities. We’ve worked closely with our advisory committee to create the most accessible experience for all visitors to this exhibition.”

Visitors will encounter several other enhancements in The Warrior Emperor. For those who are blind or with vision loss, tactile booklets are available for loan at no charge at the admission desk, as are large-print exhibition booklets. These publications feature Braille and large print, a tactile exhibition map and tactile graphics of numerous highlighted exhibition objects. Many graphics in the exhibition feature prominent, large font.

For those who are deaf, hard of hearing and deafened, the exhibition’s two mini-theatres are equipped with Acoustical containment. Neck loops are available for special paid-tours upon request. Further, the exhibition’s numerous videos that include narration are captioned in both English and French. Podcasts pertaining to the exhibition or its series of lectures can be found on the ROM’s website and are captioned in English.

Those visitors with limited mobility should note that the Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall, in which The Warrior Emperor is displayed, is fully accessible by elevators, and the Hall’s two entrances are equipped with automatic doors. Two wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located in the exhibition space. Wheelchairs, located in the coat-check in the main lobby of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. All visitors will appreciate the abundance of seating opportunities throughout the extensive exhibition.

For specific questions or concerns, the ROM can be contacted at 416.586.5823 prior to visiting. For those visitors who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, Bell Relay Service can be reached by dialing 711 or 1.800.855.0511.

The exhibition, currently on display in the Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall on Level B2 of the ROM’s Michael Lee-Chin Crystal until January 2, 2011, showcases one of the most significant archaeological finds in history: the 1974 discovery, in Shaanxi province in north-central China, of thousands of life-sized terracotta sculptures of Chinese warriors. These extraordinary figures, along with countless treasures yet to be uncovered in the elaborate underground tomb complex of China’s First Emperor, were created 2,200 years ago. Often referenced as the eighth wonder of the world, the site was added to the official list of World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1987. The exhibition features nearly 250 artifacts, including 10 life-sized complete terracotta sculptures.

The ROM’s Accessibility Strategy
The ROM is committed to making the Museum accessible for all visitors and has created a comprehensive policy. To ensure that all visitors can experience its history and treasures, the ROM has developed audio guides, tactile displays, and digital access to collections. The main entrance of the Museum is stair-free, while the main foyer has a two percent slope allowing visitors to enter the area smoothly from the street. All floors are accessible by elevator or platform lift and the Museum’s wayfinding system includes Braille and tactile elements. Throughout the building, the ROM offers visitors complimentary wheelchairs, large-format floor plans, captioning of the digital donor wall, sign language podcasts, descriptive audio guides, tactile elements in the galleries, and increased seating throughout the Museum. For specific questions or concerns, the ROM can be contacted at 416.586.5823 prior to visiting. For those visitors who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, Bell Relay Service can be reached by dialing 711 or 1.800.855.0511.