Former Braille Institute volunteer and current San Diego Museum of Art docent Zoraida Payne had an idea. After attending the National Docent Symposium in October 2024, where she connected with colleagues, she was inspired to find a way to make the museum accessible for people with visual impairments. “I knew the museum was trying to reach new audiences,” she says. “What about the visually impaired part of the population?”
After she returned, Zoraida talked to museum officials about engaging the visually impaired community and then introduced them to Braille Institute staff. Conversations between the museum and Braille Institute were held in Los Angeles and then in San Diego to discuss how to build accessibility.
In early 2025, Zoraida worked with Braille Institute’s Associate Director of Development, Roberta O’Connor, to outline for the museum a program for youth and adults to experience art through touch and other senses. The museum embraced the idea. Zoraida worked closely with the education department to design the experience, with input from Braille Institute. Artists were invited to produce tactile copies of selected works so visitors could freely explore the works by touch.
The result was the “Please Touch Tour,” a pilot program that was launched in early 2025. It featured descriptive narration enriched with atmospheric music, evocative aromas, and tactile experiences led by museum docents, along with art-making activities guided by educators. For one session, the focus was a work of textile art, with students making weavings. For another, they created rubbings related to a three-dimensional piece. Braille Institute promoted the program with its youth and adult students, and like all our services, “Please Touch” was entirely free.
Many participants shared feedback that helped educators adjust their approaches. Overall, the experience opened a world of art for a new audience. “It was super cool to feel the sculpture and imagine the meanings of the materials used by touching them,” says Braille Institute youth program member Grace D. “Museums can be overwhelming. I get very anxious about not participating much, but I felt a different connection at this museum. I think they got us.”
Following the success of the pilot, the museum decided to make permanent the program, now called “Sensory Experiences.” In August, Braille Institute and SDMA invited curators and educators from arts and other organizations throughout Southern California to learn about the program, with Zoraida and docent teams leading a sensory tour of the galleries followed by a hands-on activity. Several museums expressed interest in continuing the conversation with Braille Institute so they could make their spaces more welcoming for audiences with low or no vision and train their staff.
“This is about trying to generate more opportunities and experiences for people who have low vision or are blind,” Zoraida says. “Because you’re blind, it doesn’t mean that you’re not part of society. To find a community that can give you tools to enjoy life is wonderful. It builds empathy and makes us all better by working together.”
