2012-10-25
The first in the Baltic States electronic guide in the sign language opens treasures of the Money Museum for the deaf
The Money Museum of the Bank of Lithuania is the first museum in the Baltic States which has introduced an electronic system of translation into the sign language. It was presented to representatives of domestic organisations and institutions of the deaf today. The narrative of the Museum exposition is translated to deaf visitors into the sign language in videos shown on the screen of a tablet PC.
“While creating the Money Museum we devoted much attention to its accessibility to and convenience for deaf visitors. The most recent project enables deaf visitors to learn more about our exposition. I am glad that sign language translators and people with hearing disability assisted us with enthusiasm in implementing the idea to develop an electronic guide in the sign language at the Museum”, said Vidmantas Laurinavičius, Head of the Money Museum of the Bank of Lithuania.
Participant in the presentation Roma Klečkovskaja, President of the Lithuanian Association of the Deaf, Director of the Republican Rehabilitation Centre of the Deaf, mentioned that over 8 thousand people with hearing disability live in the country. Their possibilities to participate in cultural events are limited; they need translators into the sign language. She thanked the Bank of Lithuania for its concern for the deaf.
Since the opening of the Money Museum in 2010 visitors had been able to use an audioguide in Lithuanian, English and Russian and hear about the exposition in an expressive narrative. Later, the audioguide was supplemented by Polish and German. The content of the audio guide narrative was created by UAB Audiogidas which specialises in this field. The Museum can offer audio guide equipment adapted for the use by the visually impaired.
A special lift at the Museum entrance helps the disabled in wheelchairs to access the Museum. Another lift inside the Museum enables to reach the exposition halls on the different floors of the Museum. A disabled person in a wheelchair may with the help of buttons lower the exhibited coin sets to his/her eye level and view them. The WCs have been specially adapted to take wheelchairs of the disabled.
The Money Museum is located in the centre of Vilnius – at the intersection of Gedimino prospektas and Totorių Street. Here, in five halls on two floors, visitors may get introduced to the history of world money and banking, Lithuanian money, the development of banking in our country since the emergence of the first credit institutions to the present day. This year, about 20 thousand people visited the Museum already.