【Soon】IncluDE Public Research Seminar “Rethinking ‘Touching,’ ‘Listening,’ and ‘Seeing’: Inclusive Museum Experiences through the Dynamic Earth Exhibition”
2026.12.20
ACADEMIA
Date and Time: December 20 (Sunday), 2026, 13:00–16:30 *Doors open at 12:50.
Venue: Lecture Theatre ACADEMIA, Intermediatheque 2F
Admission: Free; advance reservations given priority
* Advance reservations are scheduled to open on November 20. Registration details will be posted on this page.
* The number of seats is limited to 48. Your understanding is appreciated.
Language: Japanese
Organizers: The University Museum, The University of Tokyo (UMUT) + The Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo (ERI) + DEI Research Division, Center for Coproduction of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IncluDE), The University of Tokyo
The special exhibition “Dynamic Earth: Earthquakes and Volcanoes in Scientific Records” (November 14, 2026–March 28, 2027) incorporates a range of multisensory approaches. These include visitor support such as Audio Commentary, Tactile Maps, and Large-Print Guides, as well as Chapter 6, “Thinking about Earthquakes and Volcanoes through Touch,” an experimental display section featuring touchable models, a device, and video content. Taking these initiatives as a starting point, this seminar reconsiders “seeing” as something long taken for granted in museums and explores the possibilities and challenges of opening museum experiences to a wider range of senses.
○Program
1. Introduction
“Rethinking ‘Touching,’ ‘Listening,’ and ‘Seeing’ in Museums”
Ayumi Terada (Project Associate Professor, The University Museum, The University of Tokyo; Affiliated Faculty, DEI Research Division, IncluDE)
2. Experiments in the Multisensory Display Section of “Dynamic Earth”
“Ways of Encountering Exhibits”
Tomomi Goto (Project Assistant Professor, The University Museum, The University of Tokyo)
“Giving Form to ‘Touch’: From the Production Process”
Sachiko Urano (Technical Specialist, Laboratory for Technical Support, Technical Division, Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo) [Interviewer: Ayumi Terada]
3. Reports and Comments from Related Practices
“Making Exhibitions Accessible to All: Insights from a Cross-sectional Model of the Earth’s Interior and the Common Test for University Admissions”
Kazunori Minatani (Professor, National Center for University Entrance Examinations)
“Learning Science through Touch in a School for the Blind”
Naoto Shibata (Teacher, Special Needs Education School for the Visually Impaired, University of Tsukuba)
“Touching in the Museum: ‘An Educational Institution Appealing to the Eye’ Today”
Tomoko Watarikawa (Project Researcher, Curatorial Department, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto)
“What Matters in Creating Inclusive Spaces: Moving Beyond Fixed Attributes and Roles”
Kenta Hayashi (Representative, Art Appreciation Workshop with Visually Impaired People)
4. Discussion
Accessibility:
- Real-time captions generated using a speech-recognition system will be displayed in the venue. Staff will correct the captions where possible.
- We plan to make presentation materials that can be provided in advance available in formats suitable for screen readers.
- If you have accessibility needs related to moving within the venue, seating, or other arrangements, please indicate them in the relevant field of the registration form once reservations open. We will accommodate requests where possible.
Photography, filming, and recording of the event:
- Visitors are not allowed to take photographs, videos, or recordings during the event.
- The events will be photographed and filmed by the organizers and authorized institutions. Photographs and portions of the videos may be made public by the organizers, authorized institutions, or individuals in the future through publications or online platforms. However, full video recordings of the events will not be made public.
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Special Exhibition Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of The University of Tokyo “Dynamic Earth – Earthquakes and Volcanoes in Scientific Records”
Dates: November 14, 2026 – March 28, 2027