posted by Lourdes Flores on News

Since 2009, the Uffizi has offered visitors with vision impairment and disabilities the possibility to visit the museum following a special itinerary called the “Uffizi Touch Tour” where they can make use of their sense of touch to “see” works of art. The itinerary permits visitors to touch select pieces of sculpture (with latex gloves on) and a bas-relief of Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” especially created for the itinerary.

The number of works included in the itinerary has just been expanded from 14 to 27 pieces and was presented today, which marks the International Day of People with Disabilities.

The itinerary crosses the museum’s second floor, and includes beautiful works of Roman sculpture including the Hermaphroditus and Sleeping Cupid, said to have inspired Michelangelo in creating a copy of his own. The newly expanded itinerary then heads down to the ground floor to the Hall of the Horse where visitors can continue their exploration of a giant, marble horse which gives the hall its name, as well as the head of Mitra, the Altar of the Vicomagistri and a bust of Cicero, to name just a few of the works on display here. The hall, opened today exclusively for visitors of the tour, can also be reached from the Loggia of the Uffizi and permits its visitors to touch the sculptures in complete independence.

For more information on the tour, please read Uffizi by Touch Tour.