© 2026 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

In Art For The Blind, Touching Exhibits Is Mandatory

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

There's a new exhibit at the Prado Museum in Madrid in which visitors are invited to violate the first commandment you get about fine art museums - don't touch. But a new exhibit there encourages visually impaired visitors to do just that. Six great works for masters, including da Vinci, Goya and El Greco, have been recast as three-dimensional works so that visually impaired people can feel the technique of great pieces of art. The works also have text written in Braille. Visitors who are not visually impaired can also experience the art this way by donning masks. As Britain's Daily Mail newspaper writes, given it's been stolen, spray-painted and attacked with a cup of tea, touching the Mona Lisa is one of the rarest treats in the world. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Tags
Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.