Exhibition spaces are an important part of cultural life and can be found in many public buildings. They play a primary role in museums and galleries, but also appear as accompanying spaces in libraries, educational institutions, religious buildings or parks. Regardless of the diversity of exhibited materials, they must all follow the principles of accessible design.
The placement of elements is crucial. Exhibits and display cases should be installed at a height between 80 and 110 cm, while textual content should be positioned between 120 and 160 cm from the floor.
For persons using wheelchairs, layouts must provide enough space for passage and turning. Floors should be level, non-slip and free of hazardous height differences. Where unavoidable, level changes must be bridged with ramps or lifts and clearly marked with contrasting signage.
For blind and partially sighted visitors, tactile access to selected objects, tactile markings and audio guides must be provided. Text must be large enough, clear, and high-contrast, with lighting arranged to avoid glare. Materials such as catalogues and brochures should also be available in large print and Braille.
For deaf and hard of hearing visitors, high-quality lighting is essential to enable lip reading and communication in sign language. Where screens or tablets are used, they must support visual formats such as subtitled videos. Whenever possible, Slovenian sign language interpretation should be provided.
An inclusive exhibition space is not only friendlier and safer, but above all ensures that culture and knowledge are truly accessible to everyone. This is also required by ZIMI, which guarantees equal opportunities for participation in society, including access to cultural content.