Blind man sues British Museum over lack of Bayeux Tapestry audio description
London institution says that in-person audio-described tours will be offered, and that it may add an audio-described tour to the exhibition's app
Yusuf Ali Osman, a visually impaired man from Croydon, has filed a lawsuit against the British Museum for allegedly breaching the Equality Act by not providing audio-described tours of its Bayeux Tapestry exhibition. The exhibition, which opened recently, is reportedly not offering audio-described tours to blind visitors, despite their importance in experiencing the artwork.
Osman informed the museum in July about his desire to take part in the exhibition, but was informed that audio-described tours were not part of the current program due to restrictions on light exposure. A pre-action protocol letter was sent to the museum on September 24, and Osman is seeking damages, a declaration of discrimination, and an order requiring the museum to amend its policies and provide disability awareness training.
The British Museum has now stated that an in-person audio-described tour of the tapestry will be held, and may also be added to the exhibition's app. The museum is committed to making the exhibition as accessible as possible and is exploring further accessibility options.
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