Multisensory museum - experimental multisensory museum space

What would the museum look like if it had been designed from all senses? Would it change our perception on art? How can we make inclusive and more accesible spaces? What can we learn from people with disabilities?

In 2016 the Van Abbemuseum started to research, rethink and redesign the museum space from a multisensory and inclusive perspective, together with architects Peter-Willem Vermeersch, Tomas Dirrix, KU Leuven and in co-design with experiential experts with a visual, auditory or mobile disability.

The design was carried out by Eigensinn and the technical team of the museum. The sensory experience of the artwork was completed by contributions from designer Simon Dogger, smell expert Caro Verbeek and Iscent.
The Multi Sensory Museum research project was made possible by Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie and in co-design with Marleen Hartjes, Amber van Ginneken, Pia Hendriks, Johan Nefkens, Barbara Strating, Judith Schuitvlot, Jaap Breider, Frank Ter Beek, Jeroen van Dijk, Rieky Verwimp. The symposium is organized in collaboration with STUDIO i - platform for inclusive culture

The expansion of the Multisensory Museum can be found in the collection presentation The Making of Modern Art. With blind designer Simon Dogger and visually impaired designer John Kuhlman we are developing TIK-TIK: an app that helps blind or visually impaired visitors visit the museum. This app will be tested in the upcoming months on the basis of fifteen interventions, with which artworks are mediated to different senses. Listen to an audio-interpretation of Qiu Zhije’s Map of Utopia, smell Max Beckmann’s Winterbild and feel the painting Painter with his wife by Carel Willink with the feel-landscape.
You can also experience several interventions with the audio-tour (currently only available in Dutch). Pictures of this expansion can be seen down below. Images by Peter Cox.