Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to Promote Improvement of Accessibility for Disabled Visitors at National and Public Museums and Art Galleries

Installation Rate of Accessibility Facilities for Disabled at National and Public Museums and Art Galleries Reaches 70%

Visitors using the 'Chokjido' at the exhibition hall entrance. Photo by National Museum of Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Yoon Seok-yeol administration is promoting improvements in accessibility for people with disabilities at national and public museums and art galleries nationwide.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Park Bo-gyun, hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) announced on the 19th that it will hold a policy forum on the 20th at the National Hangeul Museum to discuss future tasks under the theme of strengthening accessibility to museums and art galleries for culturally vulnerable groups.

This project is based on the results of the "Comprehensive Survey and Improvement Direction Study on Convenience Facilities for People with Disabilities at National and Public Museums and Art Galleries," conducted jointly with the Korea Disabled People's Development Institute from July this year until recently.

The Ministry conducted a comprehensive survey targeting a total of 497 institutions, excluding those that have been remodeled or relocated, out of 517 national and public museums and art galleries registered as of December 2021. Among them, the installation rate of convenience facilities at 391 mandatory facilities under the Act on the Guarantee of Convenience for the Disabled, the Elderly, Pregnant Women, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the Disabled Convenience Act) was 70.0%, and the proper installation rate was 57.4%.

Looking at all 497 surveyed institutions, the installation rate applying the legal standards at the time of each museum and art gallery's completion was 71.6% (the proper installation rate of disabled convenience facilities meeting legal standards was 57.2%), and the installation rate applying current law was 67.6% (proper installation rate was 56.9%). For people with disabilities to access museums and art galleries smoothly, facilities that meet the legal standards at the time of completion must be improved to comply with current law standards.

At the forum, the Ministry plans to explain the results of this study to officials related to national and public museums and art galleries and discuss future tasks. The forum will be live-streamed on the Korea Museum Association's YouTube channel so that anyone interested can participate.

Starting next year, cooperation for facility improvements will be requested from national and public museums and art galleries, and practical training will be provided to responsible public officials. The plan is to support not only physical access improvements but also to enable people with disabilities to enjoy exhibitions in a more comfortable environment.

This project will support creative exhibitions that improve accessibility for people with disabilities through the public contest "Museum Made Together" during the 2023 Museum and Art Gallery Week (May 2023). Additionally, improvements to digital and barrier-free exhibition viewing environments at private museums and art galleries will also be promoted.

A Ministry official said, "For people with disabilities to access museums and art galleries smoothly, facilities that meet the legal standards at the time of completion must be improved to comply with current law standards," adding, "Under the principle that 'if it is convenient for people with disabilities, it becomes convenient for all members of society,' we will strive to improve the actual viewing experience of people with disabilities at museums and art galleries, which are the forefront of cultural enjoyment for the public."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.