People with disabilities have rights, like ordinary citizens; to enter, visit and study in museums. For this reason, museums need to be managed in such a way as to provide comfortable and safe access for people with disabilities. This is the concern of the FTUI Community Service Team from the Department of Architecture. In collaboration with the Buleleng Regency Government through the Culture Office, the FTUI Community Service Team held a Discussion Group Forum (FGD) at the Buleleng Regency Culture Office (24/8/2022).
This FGD activity was attended by the manager of the Museum in Buleleng, SLBN 1 Singaraja, and several media crews. This FGD has the aim of improving museum management services for people who have special needs or disabilities who visit museums in Buleleng such as the Gedong Kirtya Lontar Museum, the Buleleng Museum, and the Soenda Ketjil Museum.
The Head of Culture of Buleleng Regency, Mr. Nyoman Wisandika explained, “So far, the museum manager in Buleleng has always provided services to visitors so that the museum can be fun for all people, including people with disabilities, but it may not be satisfactory enough. We are constantly looking for ways to improve this service. In a nutshell, at the initiation of the FTUI Community Service Team, three museums in Buleleng were made pilot projects in improving services for people with disabilities.”
The FGD was carried out with the managers of three museums in Buleleng, namely the Lontar Building Kirtya Museum, the Buleleng Museum, and the Soenda Ketjil Museum, together with SLB N 1 Singaraja with materials related to design and inclusion for visitors with disabilities. In the period September-November 2022, there will be training to improve the understanding of museum management.
The Head of the UI Community Service Team who is also a Lecturer in the Department of Architecture, FTUI, Nevine Rafa Kusuma, S.Ars., M.A. in the discussion said, ”This FGD aims to collect problems, obstacles faced as well as facilities and infrastructure for museum management related to services for persons with disabilities in Buleleng. We first summarized these obstacles in this FGD. We also conduct field observations and provide online training to museum managers until this November.”
Revine explained that according to the Icom Museum 2022 definition, museum inclusion and accessibility must be adequate for all. Inclusion and accessibility consist of museum facilities, exhibition arrangements, collection information media, educational programs, and museum public programs as well as representation in museum collections and displays.
“The output of our community service activities is recommendations to related institutions in the form of books to be followed up on matters that need to be improved, both in terms of content, media, facilities, and infrastructure, so that inclusion and accessibility of visitors are met,” he explained.
From the discussion, the Principal of Singaraja State Special School (SLBN) 1 Made Winarsa welcomed the proposals submitted by the FTUI Community Service Team. “Our students with special needs need services at museums such as special audio-visual media and sign language. Special access for visitors with disabilities and adequate lighting can provide comfort, tranquility, and pleasure for our students or other visitors with disabilities in enjoying the museum.”
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Public Communication Bureau
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia