by Oana Ghita and Rodica State
Agerpress
Romania’s First museum dedicated to the history, culture and contributions of blind people opened Thursday in Bucharest.
The ‘Regina Elisabeta’ Technological High School in Bucharest, in partnership with the Light into Europe Foundation, inaugurated the ‘Regina Elisabeta’ Museum of the Blind Community and Education.
According to the Light into Europe, the museum celebrates more than a century of history, education and creativity of the blind community in Romania. It is a space that makes visible the voices of students, teachers, artists and social innovators who, despite barriers, have made an essential contribution to the cultural and human heritage of Romanian society, the foundation said.
The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished international and Romanian leaders, representatives of national and local authorities, educators, cultural advocates and inclusive-society champions.
Inspired by the vision of Queen Elisabeth of Romania, who as early as 1907 supported access to education and social recognition for blind people, the museum goes beyond the role of a collection of objects and becomes an educational and civic tool, the organizers said.
“Access to culture, education and collective memory is a fundamental right,” said Nicu Stefanuta, Vice-President of the European Parliament. “This museum shows that inclusion is not a symbolic gesture, but an investment in dignity, citizenship and our shared future.”
“This museum does not speak about disability as a limitation, but about potential, creativity and contribution. It is an example of how education and culture can dismantle the attitudinal barriers that still persist in Europe,’” MEP Katrin Langensiepen said.
“Spaces that lift up unheard voices enrich us all and challenge us to rethink how culture, education, and accessibility intersect,” said Rareș Hopincă, Mayor of Sector 2. “The opening of the Regina Elisabeta Museum honors the leaders who laid the foundations of education and inclusion for the blind community. We continue this legacy, look toward the future, and are committed to building a society where culture, education, and opportunities are accessible to all.”
Designed in line with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the museum offers a multisensory experience accessible both to blind visitors and to the general public. The exhibits combine historical and contemporary perspectives through tactile art, objects that can be explored by touch, audio narratives, and interactive installations.
This approach demonstrates that accessibility is not a concession, but a valuable cultural resource. When environments are designed for everyone, the entire community benefits from more open dialogue and a deeper understanding of diversity.
According to the creators, the ‘Regina Elisabeta’ Museum of the Blind Community and Education is also conceived as a living space for learning, dialogue and connection between generations and is addressed to students, teachers, families, decision-makers and the general public, inviting them to discover a heritage that becomes a starting point for conversations about identity, belonging and equal rights.
“The ‘Regina Elisabeta’ Museum is, above all, the voice of the blind community, not as an object of observation, but as a community that speaks for itself,” said Camelia Platt, the museum’s Curator and CEO of the Light into Europe foundation.
“It is a space of education, pride and shared humanity, where inclusion is both pedagogy and practice. At this first stage, we are pleased to have the support of donors and investors who believe in inclusion and equity and we plan to develop the museum into a fully immersive space of blind identity, with thematic exhibitions, international partnerships with blind artists and collaborations with similar museums around the world, Platt said.
The project is supported by the British Embassy in Bucharest.
The inauguration of the museum marks more than the opening of a new cultural space in the capital. It is a concrete step toward a society in which diversity is recognized, education is accessible, and inclusion becomes part of everyday life, not just an abstract concept.
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