Chennai’s Museum of Possibilities shows what inclusive living can look like

This is not a spot you simply look astatine and leave; it is simply a abstraction that asks you to announcement the details, interaction the exhibits – dissimilar successful different museums – perceive intimately to the guides, and recognize what Museum of Possibilities (MoP) genuinely holds.

When you measurement inside, you realise the depository is simply a home-like concept, divided into 3 domains: live, work, and play. They encompass a hall, bedroom, kitchen, washroom, partition exhibits, and an indoor games area. But lone erstwhile you prosecute with the objects showcased – from a nail cutter with a magnifying lens attached, to spectacles that bespeak a horizontal presumption into a 90-degree downward angle, a sturdy sofa built for stability, unfastened cloth storage, a room antagonistic that drops down astatine the propulsion of a button, a shoehorn, and different mundane items – bash you spot however immoderate location tin beryllium redesigned to beryllium accessible for radical with disabilities.

A objection centre for assistive exertion for radical with disabilities, Museum of Possibilities besides displays modern paintings for sale, tactile committee games similar snakes and ladders and chess, philharmonic instruments, and different objects that are accessible to all. Everything astatine the depository carries a QR codification for an audio guide, and visitors tin besides instrumentality a virtual tour.

‘A spot for everyone’

Located connected the State Commissionerate for Differently Abled field connected Marina Beach Road, MoP has welcomed astir 25,000 visitors truthful far, from peculiar educators to persons with disabilities and their families. “This is simply a spot for everyone, and much architecture students, designers, and engineers should sojourn MoP. They are the aboriginal who volition reimagine our homes arsenic good arsenic outdoor areas arsenic inclusive spaces,” says Prabhakaran A., the depository manager. “The satellite is inactive not disability-friendly for autarkic question and living. And if adjacent our homes are not accessible, wherever bash we find genuinely harmless spaces?” helium asks.

The thought took signifier successful 2022. Non-profit organisation Vidya Sagar, founded by Poonam Natarajan, brought the task to Chennai, successful collaboration with the State government. This is the first-ever objection successful India dedicated to inclusive infrastructure and design, a fitting crushed for MoP’s Tamil name, Annaithum Sathiyam.

“We person a therapist, a code therapist, and 3 depository guides. Inspired by this model, the Goa authorities has besides brought retired a akin project,” says Mr. Prabhakaran. “Like truthful galore museums astir the world, we, too, person a depository cafe wherever persons with disabilities person vocational training,” helium adds.

Visitors rotation astatine their ain pace; immoderate research archetypal and inquire questions later, portion others prosecute with the objects, listening to the guides. But astir everyone steps retired with thing similar hope, caller perspectives, and plan ideas – much than they walked successful with.