Young Achievers at Tate Modern London for an accessible art day!

January saw us continue our Young Achievers Family Days for blind and partially sighted children at the Tate Modern in London to focus on the theme of Create.

VICTA families were welcomed to the Tate Modern by Carlos and Leila, two members of the Tate’s Visitor Experience team. They treated us to an object handling session with their mini museum and a guided tour to discover some of the artworks that were handled just moments before! Items in their mini museum included Salvador Dali’s Lobster Telephone and an Indestructible Object by May Ray. It was a fantastic way to introduce families to experiencing a gallery in an interactive, sensory way with a group of like-minded people.

Touch tour feeling a replica of Dali's phone with a lobster on the top

A boy has the biggest smile while he holds up a paper plate withe a tactile picture he has made.

After this we explored a multi-sensory Hyundai commissioned piece in the Turbine Hall by Maret Anne Sara exploring ecological exploitation and how her connection with Reindeers provides a vehicle to call on us to remember that ‘nature is not an endless resource to exploit’

Lunch time gave families a chance to explore the Tate at their leisure before returning to the learning space to create some Picasso inspired paper-plate tactile faces. It was lovely to see both parents and children getting involved and the VICTA team were seriously impressed at what was created!

We thank the Tate Modern for providing such a supportive and calm environment and we hope that families now feel confident to explore more museums and art galleries!