In 2015 RES produced a hands-on exhibit for the Visitor Center at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. It allows visitors to touch objects similar to ones they would see (but not touch) while touring the Lincoln Home. It won an accessibility award from the National Park Service.
Now the LHNHS has asked RES to design a prototype “Sensory Book” that visitors with disabilities can carry with them on the house tour. Now in the production phase, the original concept called for nine pages, each with a different object. When this proved to be too cumbersome, the design changed to a board with nine braille numbered objects. Our new “Sensory Board” has reproduction objects from the site, purchased objects, and some made by RES (like the chess piece).
So, when the tour guide (park ranger) is in the living room and discussing the carpet, drapery, horsehair fabric on the furniture, or wood turnings on a chair, the visitor can actually feel those objects on the Sensory Board.
The Site plans to test the prototype after there’s a corona virus vaccine. Data gathered during the testing period will inform RES of any changes to be made in the Sensory Board for for final production.
