Low Vision Experiences

Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6 – ground floor, Sale Fossi entrance.

Participants will be welcomed at the museum entrance in the Fossi Rooms, located on the ground floor near the main entrance. Here, projects developed to enhance museum accessibility for blind and visually impaired individuals will be presented: the series of tactile books, the Uffizi tactile itinerary, and the collection of tactile paintings (3D reproductions of some of the masterpieces on display in the museum). A sensory experience will also be offered. Following this, participants will continue their visit through the museum to view the original masterpieces. Thanks to the experience gained during the workshop, they will be able to better appreciate subtle sensory aspects that are often overlooked by the general public.

ACCESSIBILITY: Each participant can reach the Uffizi independently.

ENTRANCE: September 12 only

• From 9:00 am to 9:45 am

or

• From 10:15 am to 11:00 am

PLEASE NOTE:
Availability is extremely limited. Participants are welcome to stay even after the end of the experience. Tickets are available exclusively to congress participants.

Address: Via dei Ciliegi, 26, Scandicci – Firenze

The National Guide Dog School for the Blind was founded in 1929 by the Italian Union of the Blind and has been managed by the Tuscany Region since 1979. It provides guide dogs to blind individuals and is one of the few fully public institutions of its kind in the world.

In recent years, the School has also developed programs for animal-assisted interventions (Pet Therapy) and the training of assistance dogs for people with motor disabilities.

Within the large park, visitors will observe the breeding and training of Labrador puppies, both for visually impaired individuals and for animal-assisted interventions (pet therapy) and motor disability support.

Inside the main building, which houses offices and educational rooms, various projects and educational activities will be presented, aimed at:

• Promoting techniques to improve orientation, mobility, and personal autonomy for the visually impaired;
• Showcasing aids and support actions for visually impaired individuals, as well as fostering a culture of inclusion and solidarity towards people with disabilities, especially among children and students;
• Encouraging the protection, care, and proper treatment of animals.

ACCESSIBILITY:
From Valfonda – Santa Maria Novella Station, take tram line T1.3 for Villa Costanza to the De Andrè stop (Stop ID: FM9028).
Average travel time: 30 minutes by tram + 600 meters walking (approx. 7 minutes).
It is recommended to depart at least 1 hour before the start of the visit.
Each participant can reach the Guide Dog School independently and purchase their own tram ticket individually.

ENTRANCE: September 8 only

• From 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm

or

• From 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

PLEASE NOTE:
Availability is extremely limited. Tickets are available exclusively to congress participants.

Address: Via Aurelio Nicolodi 2, located at the Institute for the Blind.

The Braille Printing House is a facility of the Tuscany Region that supports the rights of people with visual disabilities by offering services aimed at promoting accessibility, autonomy, and active participation in cultural, social, and economic life.

Located in the basement of the Institute for the Blind, the Printing House holds a vast collection of Braille books and an archive of other tactile materials produced from its founding to the present day. These materials are of national importance and, in the case of musical scores, of international value. The visit includes:

• An explanation of how Braille is written and read, with the opportunity to try Braille writing firsthand;
• A tour of the exhibition of Braille texts and tactile illustrations;
• A demonstration of how Braille books, illustrated books, and tactile boards are produced, including a visit to the current machinery and practical examples of production;
• A visit to the exhibition of historical Braille production machines;
• A sensory experience in complete darkness, involving everyday objects in an environment without light or visual references.

The Tiflodidactic Center, located on the ground floor of the same institute, works to:

• Guide the selection of the most appropriate educational aids through its extensive library;
• Help educators better understand the needs of visually impaired children by realistically assessing their limitations and potential—both clinically and pedagogically—in order to plan an educational path tailored to the student’s specific characteristics and tiflological needs, both at home and at school.

ACCESSIBILITY:
Option 1: Bus line no. 17 from Beslan T1 Fortezza (400 meters from Piazza Adua – Congress Palace) to SAN GERVASIO ANTONELLI stop (Stop ID: FI3261). Average travel time: 30 minutes, then a 200-meter walk.

Option 2: Bus line no. 11 from Piazza Adua to GASPERI ANTONELLI stop (Stop ID: FI1834). Average travel time: 30 minutes, then a 200-meter walk.

Each participant can reach the Guide Dog School independently and purchase their own bus ticket individually.

ENTRANCE TIMES:

• September 8: From 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• September 12: From 9:00 am to 12:00 am

PLEASE NOTE:
Availability is extremely limited. Tickets are available exclusively to congress participants.