Look at the art with yours hands: opening of the first tactile gallery at Les Abattoirs
On 19 February 2026, Les Abattoirs will open its first permanent tactile gallery, offering visually impaired visitors direct access to works from the modern and contemporary art collections.
A participatory project
Since opening in 2000, Les Abattoirs has been committed to making art accessible to all audiences, particularly people with disabilities. In 2006, a partnership with the Institut des Jeunes Aveugles (IJA Foundation) led to the creation of weekly workshops and tours for visually impaired and blind children. Twenty years later, this long-term collaboration has resulted in the opening of a permanent tactile gallery within the exhibition spaces, marking a new stage in the institution's accessibility policy.
In 2022 and 2024, exhibition visits were organised at Les Abattoirs for blind and visually impaired visitors, accompanied by a specialist mediator. Following these visits, a steering committee was set up on a voluntary basis to actively participate in the creation of the tactile gallery. Its members took part in all stages of the project, from selecting the works from the collections to be reproduced to designing the tactile models, thus ensuring a truly participatory approach tailored to the needs of users.
Four works to discover through touch
The tactile gallery offers visitors the opportunity to discover four works from the Abattoirs' collections:
- Sans titre [Untitled] (1959) by Louise Nevelson
- Petit ocre lacéré [Small ochre lacerated] (1964) by Antoni Tàpies
- Géométree n°109 (Parjure n°1) (1993) by François Morellet
- Dots Obsession (1998) by Yayoi Kusama
Reproduced on a smaller scale, these models allow visitors to feel the texture and composition of each work and understand its artistic message, specifically adapted for tactile interpretation.
A comprehensive multisensory experience
The tactile gallery offers a multisensory experience designed to allow visitors to explore independently. Audio recordings accompany the reproductions and explain each artist's approach. Captions are written in Braille next to each model. Finally, photographs of the original works, hung on the wall, echo the tactile reproductions. This system aims to reach a wider visually impaired audience beyond the young visitors welcomed since 2006. This sensory and interactive approach also offers sighted visitors a new way to discover the works in the collections.
Partners
This project was made possible thanks to the support of the Orange Corporate Foundation, as part of its call for projects Access to Culture with Museums, as well as the support of the Drac Occitanie - Culture and Health programme.
The tactile models were created by Xano Martinez.
Practical information:
Opening on 19 February 2026
Location: North Mezzanine, 1st floor, Les Abattoirs
Access: Accessible during opening hours