Touch Galleries

Some readers may be familiar with museum "touch galleries."  These galleries are often geared towards children, such as the one at the Art Institute of Chicago, which I have visited on numerous occasions.  There is even an entire children's museum in Philadelphia dedicated to physical interaction with artworks.  While these type of facilities can provide one great access point for the visually impaired, the problem remains that these kinds of exhibits are specifically designed for children.  The kind of sophisticated, adult-oriented art "viewing" experience cannot be found with this type of programing.  Where these touch options do exist, there is often a very limited amount to choose from.  The one exception I have come across are tours that museums like the Rodin Museum in Paris provides, where, after putting on gloves, an attendant tours the museum with visitors, who are allowed to touch all or most of the pieces in the museum.
One of the most important factors that will be drive the curating process of PLEASE TOUCH THE ARTWORK is the need for an accessible version of the intellectual and sophisticated art experience.