Discover the Omero Tactile Museum in Ancona

The Omero Museum in Ancona is the first tactile museum in the world. Created to promote the inclusion of people with visual disabilities, it is a unique, barrier-free space where everyone can experience art through touch. In other words, it is an international point of reference for aesthetic education for the blind and visually impaired.

The idea

It was born in 1985 from two blind art and travel lovers — Aldo Grassini and his wife Daniela Bottegoni. Tired of the “do not touch” rule found in museums worldwide, they dreamed of creating a museum where everything could be touched.

Words from the founder

“My wife and I, as passionate travelers, often faced the absurd prohibitions imposed in all museums: ‘Do not touch!’ — which, for a blind person, is like telling a sighted person not to look. From this frustration came my wife’s idea, which I immediately embraced — to gather in one place reproductions of the great masterpieces of art, allowing blind people to know and enjoy the beauty of human genius.

This is how the idea of the Omero Museum was born: we were perhaps the first in the world to think of such a thing — or at least, the first to make it real. In 1993 the Omero Museum was founded, and since then we have carried on this commitment. Born as a municipal museum and financed by the Region, it was later recognized as a state museum — and today it is a reality.”

From idea to realization

After years of proposals and meetings, in 1993 the Municipality of Ancona, with the contribution of the Marche Region, established the Omero Museum. Initially inaugurated in three classrooms of the “Carlo Antognini” Elementary School, it housed 19 plaster reproductions of classical sculptures and an architectural model — a true milestone!

In 1997, the Museum expanded and moved to a new space in the Donatello Middle School. Finally, in 1999, the Italian Parliament officially recognized it as the first state tactile museum, giving it a unique national value.

The permanent home

In 2012, the museum found its definitive home in the Mole Vanvitelliana, a large eighteenth-century pentagonal architectural complex by the sea, in the port area of Ancona.

Within its 3,000 square meters spread over four floors, visitors can explore over 200 works, including plaster and resin copies of classical masterpieces, architectural models, and original contemporary sculptures.

There is also an innovative Design Collection, featuring 32 icons of Italian design. The next goal? A new, multisensory, and technologically advanced exhibition layout.

A museum for everyone

From its very beginning, the Omero Museum was never meant to be a space only for the blind. It is a cultural space without barriers, where art can be experienced through the hands, open to adults and children alike.

Visitors are encouraged to take a tactile journey, often in pairs: one blindfolded and the other acting as a guide — and then switching roles.

Children free to explore…

During the hour-and-a-half visit, children are not only allowed but encouraged to touch the artworks — the most natural way for them to discover and learn.

Visitors can also take part in workshops such as Tactile Books (where books are created for the five senses) and Meet Luis (a playful introduction to Braille). Many of these activities involve the whole family — reservations required.

Services

The museum offers Braille descriptions, large-print labels, and mobile platforms to reach taller works. It has accessible entrances, elevators, and rest areas. There is also a “Fuori Tutti” room, a sensory-friendly space designed for people with autism to take a relaxing break.

Here, all artworks — originals and reproductions alike — are tactile.

Free entry and a rich range of experiences

Admission to all museum halls is free, except for the Design Room, which requires a €5 fee.

The museum also participates in numerous national and international initiatives to promote and support art education for the blind and visually impaired.

For more information, visit the official website:

www.museoomero.it

Now, all that’s left is to wish you a good visit!