Paestum Archaeological Park launches free multilingual app with sign language

The Paestum Archaeological Park has launched a free app designed for universal accessibility, available in six languages and Italian Sign Language (LIS). Developed over nearly two years by the park, ECCOM, VISIVALAB, and the Istituto Statale per sordi, the app simplifies content to avoid technical jargon, using storytelling, sounds, colors, and smells. It offers personalized tours with choices of language, duration, theme (myths and rites, daily life, Greek and Lucanian Paestum, Roman Paestum), and 59 points of interest with geolocated maps. The app is free to download via free Wi-Fi covering the entire park and museum, a first in Italy according to director Gabriel Zuchtriegel. Texts were written by in-house archaeologists, architects, and assistants to retain intellectual property. Languages include Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese, covering over 3.5 billion people, with plans to add more. The LIS translation is a significant step for inclusion of the deaf community.