Museo Omero (Tactile Museum)

Museo Omero is a tactile museum in Ancona, Italy, and one of the few places in the world where the knowledge of art is transmitted not through sight but through touch. The museum aims to help the visually impaired to experience art but its unique multi-sensory exhibition is accessible to everyone.

Established in 1993, the innovative museum hosts various copies and casts of real archeological finds and pieces of art like the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo, and Michelangelo’s Pietà. Architectural models of famous buildings like the Parthenon, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Saint Peter’s Basilica are also on display, along with several original sculptures by contemporary artists. The collection is divided into four sections, each representing a different period of art history: Greco-Roman, Romanesque-Gothic, Renaissance and Contemporary. There are more than 150 touchable pieces of art on display.

Everything in the museum is specifically designed to be accessible through touch, with descriptions in Braille. It also holds thematic exhibitions and services for schools and families. In 2012, the museum moved to its current location inside some of the halls of Mole Vanvitelliana, a former leprosarium located on a small artificial island in the port of the city.