Blind and visually impaired people

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt continues to fascinate. Discover the collection and learn more about this ancient culture in all its facets. A selection of antiquities may be touched, and a specially trained guide will lead you through the experience.

Stone statues of a pharaoh and a Theban official reveal more about the power structures of the time. Statues of gods, often half human and half animal, and an offering table provide insight into religious practices. Everyday objects are passed around: a wooden headrest, a piece of jewelry, cosmetics, eating utensils… On a relief, you can feel what hieroglyphs look like and learn about the writing tools. Rituals surrounding death and burial are also explored through fragments of a coffin, a canopic jar, a scarab, and shabtis. And the meaning of “to walk like an Egyptian” becomes clear on a relief depicting a man in motion. Expect an engaging, tailor-made journey into the past within the museum.

Plaster cast workshop

The Plaster cast workshop has been at its current location for over 100 years. Using molds, plaster casts are made of famous works of art from history. The molds are stored on tall wooden racks that stretch from corridor to corridor, filled to the top.

Visitors with visual impairments are welcome to touch everything in the workshop: the different materials, the casts, the molds, and the tools. A demonstration shows how plaster powder transforms into a cast statue or relief. An experienced guide explains the history and techniques of the workshop and leads participants through this magical space. Large sculptures - such as the ancient Hercules Farnese and Michelangelo’s David - stand alongside smaller works, such as the Venus of Willendorf from the Paleolithic era.

Please note: all sculptures are made of plaster. Your hands may be slightly white afterward.