People with various disabilities are examining the museum and the mine – initial improvements have already been implemented
The Messel Pit World Heritage Site aims to improve accessibility in its museum and mine. Together with the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, existing obstacles were identified during two site visits. More than a dozen people with various disabilities participated. According to the Messel Pit World Heritage Site, initial measures have already been implemented.
The initiative for the collaboration came from Dr. Zeljko Crncic, the municipal disability officer for the Darmstadt-Dieburg district. Together with the Messel Pit World Heritage Site gGmbH, they will investigate what changes can make it easier for people with various disabilities to visit the site.
Those affected examine the museum and the mine
The two site visits included people in wheelchairs, blind and visually impaired people, deaf and hard-of-hearing people, and people on the autism spectrum.
Several barriers were identified. These included, for example, a lack of tactile paving for the visually impaired and ramps. Long signs can be difficult for some visitors to understand; more clearly structured texts and pictograms were suggested as possible alternatives.
According to those involved, the combination of background music and echoing rooms can make understanding difficult for people with hearing impairments. Further potential improvements discussed included explanatory tours and audio guides for blind people, as well as technical solutions for the hearing impaired.
“Even small changes can make a big difference in making the exhibition and the pit usable for people with disabilities,” says Crncic.
Initial measures have already been implemented
The site visits resulted in a joint action plan with Managing Director Philipe Havlik and Mara Repp, who is responsible for the organization and implementation of inclusion projects at the Messel Pit. This plan differentiates between changes that can be implemented in the short term and those that require a medium- to long-term perspective.
Several issues have already been addressed. For example, signs have been relocated and the emergency alarm in the accessible toilet has been made more easily accessible. Additionally, paths in the pit have been repaired to facilitate wheelchair use.
More complex structural changes, such as wayfinding systems, will be reviewed in the long term. According to Managing Director Havlik, how quickly these can be implemented also depends on the available financial resources.
More than 40,000 visitors last year
The Messel Pit intends to gradually incorporate the information gathered during the site visits into its further planning. According to the operating company, more than 40,000 visitors came to the World Heritage Site last year .
The collaboration with the district is intended to help make the museum and mine more accessible for people with various disabilities.
(RED/PM)
