Museo Egizio del Cairo and Museo Omero partner for tactile accessibility

The Museo Egizio del Cairo has launched a tactile path for visually impaired visitors, developed with Italy's Museo Tattile Statale Omero in Ancona. Twelve iconic ancient Egyptian artworks are now touchable, including the statue of Pharaoh Amenhotep II with goddess Meretseger, the seated Sekhmet from Karnak, the sphinx of Amenemhat III, and the triad of Menkaura from Giza. Each piece features Braille labels in English, Arabic, and Italian, plus audio files via reading pens. A raised-relief museum map with Braille legend is also provided. During the inauguration, Museo Omero president Aldo Grassini and operators Andrea Socrati and Annalisa Trasatti trained Egyptian museum staff on sensory education, tactile image formation, and aesthetic evaluation. The training covered sculpture, architecture, painting, and archaeology. The initiative is part of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' "Vivere all'italiana" program, coordinated by the Italian Cultural Institute led by Paolo Sabbatini and the Italian Archaeological Centre in Cairo managed by Giuseppina Capriotti Vittozzi.