ABSTRACT
The Pavilion of the Knowledge of the Seas was originally designed for Expo ‘98 and afterward became a science museum. We examine the relationship between the architect’s intentions, the building’s architectural qualities, and purpose, focusing on the experience of disabled users. By accompanying a wheelchair user and a vision impaired person, we examine how their experiences of the museum relate to the architect’s intentions to accomodate persons with disability in his designs. Architects can have specific intentions in mind, but users may not experience them. Attending to disabled persons’ experiences provides an interesting and richer understanding of museum architecture.
