Accessibility controversy at Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden

Paralympic athlete and activist Sofia Righetti exposed the lack of accessibility at the Tarot Garden, a sculpture park created by Niki de Saint Phalle in Capalbio, Italy. During a visit, Righetti found the site inaccessible to wheelchair users, with no prior warning on the institution's website. She shared her experience on Instagram, prompting a mail bombing campaign and negative reviews. The park initially deleted criticisms but later promised internal investigations and possible adaptations. Righetti noted that a path beside the stairs could be made accessible without altering the garden's character. The controversy highlights broader issues of accessibility in Italian museums. Roberto Vitali of Village for All, an accessible tourism project, stated that adaptation measures are often seen as obligations rather than opportunities, reflecting a cultural problem. He cited positive examples like the Colosseum, Pompeii, Paestum, and the tactile Omero Museum, urging that accessibility be a key quality criterion for cultural offerings.