ABSTRACT
Most hearing people have never considered how deaf people perceive the world around them differently, and how this impacts their experiences when visiting a museum. Deaf people are not just hearing people who do not hear but are often psychologically and culturally distinct visitors who bring their own approaches to understanding the world around them. Drawing on personal experience as a deaf person and museum professional, and fieldwork research in the United States, Canada, and Japan, the author frames the comparison of accessible and inaccessible museums as a lack of understanding of the unique nature of deaf ways of being. The results illustrate that although many countries have legislation that requires accommodations and adjustments for disabled museum visitors, the rules set out typically do not provide a welcoming experience for deaf visitors. This chapter lists a variety of museum experiences and their most common accommodations, and how staff might change their approach to create an experience in which the deaf visitor feels a sense of belonging in the galleries. Key concepts discussed include ‘deaf gain,’ the importance of including visitors with lived experience in the experience creation process, and the difference between accessibility and equity of experience.
