Museum guiding in sign language
Events for people with hearing impairment in the Pécs Museum
MúzeumCafé 26.
The History Museum belonging to the The Baranya County Museums in town of Pécs launched the organisation of events for the deaf and hard of hearing in 2010. The reactions so far have been positive. The programme of events took place from September 2010 to July 2011 and were based in two locations – the Local History Museum in Pécs at 9 Felsőmalom Street and the club room in the Pécs premises of SINOSZ, the Hungarian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, at 9 Jókai Street.For most visitors the word ‘museum’ is generally closely associated with an exhibition and thus the permanent historical displays have been the first to feature in the events. In this case, however, the normal routines are broken. First the ‘guide’ using sign language gives information about each unit of the exhibition. For the presenter it is important to face the group and not to turn around in order to indicate something in the course of signing, since that would make understanding more difficult and lip-reading would become impossible. Phrases should not be artificially ‘over-articulated’, either. Partly that would be offensive and partly it would hinder anyone lip-reading. It is also important for the signer to be positioned in an appropriately lit space and as far as possible not to be dressed in glaring colours, since the face and hands have to be clearly seen. When the museum guide has finished ‘speaking’ enough time must be left for the displays to be properly viewed. Everything which otherwise might be considered expected helps the orientation of people with disabilities attending an exhibition including, for example, written information with appropriate content, the use of visual means to assist understanding, and so on.