Blind Visitor Experiences at Art Museums

Why would a person who is blind want to visit an art museum, even when he or she cannot touch the exhibits?
Blind Visitor Experiences of Art Museums examines this question, through a case study of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and philosophies of exclusion and access. In the process of doing so, it argues that there is an extra dimension to understanding the visual arts. This dimension can act as a bridge between the awareness of art works through perception, and an understanding of their contents beyond perceptual knowledge.
This bridge between awareness and non-verbal knowledge is described as an ambience that is provided by the environment and context of knowing art works. This ambience is felt in museums, galleries and monuments, and is made possible by the visitor’s proximity to art works.