J-12 - LOC Guidelines for Accessible Exhibit Design.pdf

Attachment J-12 – Library of Congress Guidelines for Accessible Exhibit Design - 11/1/2022 (1 page)

Library of Congress Guidelines for Accessible Exhibit Design

I. Exhibition Content

A. Exhibitions must make exhibit content accessible at multiple intellectual levels and present it through more than one sensory channel.

B. Exhibitions must include the experiences of people with disabilities within their content and presentation.

II. Exhibition Items A. Items in exhibitions (e.g. artifacts, graphics, props) must be visually accessible to people.

B. Items essential to the exhibition's main theme must be accessible to people by tactile examination (e.g. touching artifacts, reproductions, models) and/or comprehensive audio description.

C. Items must not be placed in locations such that they create a hazard for visitors.

III. Label Text and Design A. Essential information in exhibition label text must be accessible to people who have difficulty reading English.

B. Label design must present main exhibition copy legibly for all visitors. Such exhibition label information must be available within the galleries in alternative formats (e.g. Braille, audio) for people who cannot read print.

C. The elimination of glare from cases and on labels must be considered for those visitors who are seated as well as for those who are standing.

IV. Audiovisuals and Interactives A. All exhibition interactives, audio-only programs (e.g. music with lyrics and texts of speeches), and audiovisuals with soundtracks produced by the Library of Congress must be either open or closed captioned. If an audio presentation not produced by the Library of Congress is shown in the exhibition for more than three months it must be captioned. If an audio presentation not produced by the Library of Congress is shown for fewer than three months it may be accompanied by a verbatim script mounted directly next to it. Soundtracks of ambient sounds must be identified whether captioning or a script is used. Sounds may also be identified in label text.

B. Interactives and audiovisuals that do not have soundtracks must carry labels stating that fact to assure deaf and hard-of-hearing people that they are not missing information.

C. Audiovisual programs and computer interactives that present information with images and print must be audio described.

D. Instructions for proper use of interactives must be accessible to all visitors.

E. Controls for and operation of all interactives must be accessible and usable by all visitors.

F. Use of interactives must be from a location accessible to people using wheelchairs or other assistive devices (e.g. canes, crutches); interactives must not be blocked by furniture or other obstacles.