"Seeing" art for the first time

This story came to my attention through a Google news alert at my internship. I think it's incredibly interesting and a fantastic idea. Many art museums around the world are making special "touch tours" for the blind.

These special tours allow the blind to actually touch the art in order to experience what it looks like through descriptions. One person noted that the audio guides do a wonderful job in explaining the work of art, but it is only through touch that a blind person can actually "see" it.

Granted these tours are relegated to sculpture for the most part, but some museums are branching out to their textiles or African masks in their collections for these tours. I'm sure the conservators at each of these museums probably have mild heart attacks each time hands move toward the sculptures, but it is such a great idea. It is an innovative way to bring these individuals into museums. I hope that more and more museums across the world adopt these for their own tour programs.