[News] Heritage Without Barriers - First MuseIT Pilot in Rome!

Mark your calendars! On May 14, 2025, the National Central Library of Rome will transform into a hub of innovation and inclusivity with our first pilot event: Heritage Without Barriers: The MuseIT Project for an Inclusive Cultural Experience Through Technology.

This event is free and open to all cultural professionals, institutional representatives (museums, archives, libraries), associations, researchers, students, and individuals- including those of us with motor, sensory, and cognitive-intellectual disabilities.

• When: May 14, 2025 | 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

• Where: National Central Library of Rome, Viale Castro Pretorio 105

• Register here: https://forms.gle/VXTQv3y6X6aQrcDT9

• Detailed agenda: here

• ✅ Sign language interpretation (LIS) and simultaneous Italian-English translation will be provided.

About MuseIT Pilots:

Cultural heritage should be accessible to everyone, yet barriers persist. At MuseIT, we believe that collaborating with cultural organizations and individuals with disabilities from the early design stages to real-world testing is not just a phase, it is fundamental to our mission. Engaging directly with our target audiences allows us to develop multisensory, user-centered, and interactive technologies that address real needs and foster truly inclusive cultural experiences. Our second pilot will focus on our musical co-creation tools (June, Sweden).

What to Expect at the Event:

This full-day event (9:00 AM - 4:30 PM) will bring together national and international professionals, policymakers, researchers, and cultural enthusiasts to explore cutting-edge solutions for cultural accessibility.

🔹 Plenary Session: Featuring best practices in technological accessibility with presentations from the Omero National Tactile Museum and Teatro Stabile di Torino.

🔹 Roundtable Discussion: Experts from ECCOM, the Study Group on Inclusion of AIB (Italian Library Association), the UNESCO Office of the Ministry of Culture, and the National Observatory on the Condition of People with Disabilities will debate policies and challenges in cultural inclusivity. Moderated by Corinne Szteinsznaider from the Michael Culture Association.

🔹 Interactive Parallel Sessions: Attendees will engage in focus groups and hands-on experiences with MuseIT’s experimental technological tools.

Experience Innovation Firsthand

This event isn’t just about discussion, it’s about action! Attendees will have the unique opportunity to test MuseIT’s groundbreaking prototypes:

✔️ Step into the metaverse and navigate a fully immersive virtual museum.

✔️ Wear haptic suits to experience art through touch and vibration.

✔️ Interact with emotionally responsive digital artworks that adapt to users' sensory experiences.

✔️ Generate music from emotions, making art a truly personal and multisensory journey.

Why This Matters

Cultural heritage belongs to everyone. Yet, physical, sensory, and cognitive barriers often limit access to museums, archives, and cultural institutions.

“Cultural heritage belongs to everyone, and the equitable right to access and enjoy arts and culture is recognized in national and international frameworks, including the UN's Human Rights declarations. Yet in practice, barriers still exist. In the MuseIT project, we have worked closely with potential users to develop technologies that address real needs. With this event, we aim to test our prototypes with a broader audience, using your feedback to refine and improve them further. We invite you to join us, experience our innovations, and share your valuable insights to help shape a more inclusive cultural future"– says Nasrine Olson (MuseIT coordinator, University of Borås).

Join us in breaking barriers and shaping a more inclusive cultural future. See you in Rome!