1356 - POTOSINOS MUSEUM OPENS FACILITIES FOR DISABLED

With the opening of facilities that provide access to people with disabilities, Potosi Regional Museum was certified Accessible Museum, which gives free access civil partnership, which will help to increase the number of such visitors and accomplish the purpose to make available to all archaeological and colonial housing the compound.

This is the result of the agreement signed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the Ministry of Health and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (CONADIS), from which the latter two instances allocated resources to architectural adaptations out give access to the site, respecting the integrity of a historic monument that occupies part of the Ex Convento de San Francisco, which dates from the late sixteenth century.

With these works, representing an investment of one million 400 thousand pesos, the site of San Luis has become an accessible museum, the first of the INAH museum venues to receive this certification granted by the civil association Open Access, which works to ensure accessibility to this sector, said anthropologist Miguel Angel Riva Palacio Sulser, director of the INAH-San Luis Potosi.

He explained that the museum now has an elevator that connects the ground floor and first floor, providing access to the Temporary Exhibition Hall and the Chapel of Aranzazu, considered the most significant space in this building, which stands out for its baroque decorative elements Churrigueresque and a covered porch.

It also created ramps, toilets and facilities in the area of ​​Educational Communication to facilitate access for visitors with mobility disabilities, so they can participate freely in the activities and workshops that are conducted.

The delegate of the INAH in the state pointed out that these works made during the last quarter of last year, are part of the actions that the Institute conducted for the construction of an inclusive and democratic society. "The dissemination of cultural heritage is incomplete as there are sectors of society without access to their knowledge and enjoyment."

In the ceremony of certification, by Federico Fleischmann, founding president of the civil association Free Access, Francisco Cisneros Rivero attended, technical secretary of CONADIS; Ricardo Bucio Mujica, president of the National Council to Prevent Discrimination, Fernando Carrillo Jimenez, Secretary of Culture of SLP; Enrique Abud Dip, state secretary of Tourism, Amador Corona Martinez, the National Coordination of INAH Works and Projects, Miguel Angel Riva Palacio Sulser, delegate of the INAH-SLP, and Pedro Luis Gutierrez Potosi Regional Museum director.

In that event also inaugurated the exhibition on Disability ABC, which consists of a series of large format photographs referring to the topic, sponsored by the Do It Now civil partnership. The exhibition will open at the Temporary Exhibition Hall and can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 18:00. In addition, attended a choir of young deaf Bilingual Intercultural Institute for the Deaf (IBIS).

The anthropologist Miguel Angel Riva Palacio added that another of the actions that the INAH has developed in the state is the Bilingual Visit Program for deaf and hearing, which began in 2010 and continues this year with trips to museums, plazas, monuments and temples Potosi city.

Since its origin, mixed groups visiting the first Sunday of each month, the Regional Museum to the attention of museum guides and interpreters in Mexican Sign Language (LSM), in collaboration with IBIS staff.

Given the success and wide public demand, from the 2011 tours are held alternately, one month visiting the Regional Museum and the next one site of the historic center of San Luis Potosi. In this way, has visited the museums of the Viceroyalty and Federico Silva, with an attendance of over 40 deaf and hearing each time.

The anthropologist said that these activities are working in conjunction with the University of Central Mexico (SSMU), every Thursday before the Sunday tour presents a conference on its premises by the rector academic Zechariah Ofelia Díaz Infante, who offers historical information of the places we visit.

For the remainder of the year it is planned to go to the Plaza del Carmen, Templo de San Juan de Dios Hospital Johannine, Teatro de la Paz, Gedovius Germain Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art and the Railway Museum.

"With the historical sightseeing and adequacy of facilities that provide access to the Potosi Regional Museum, is looking to the historical heritage of the institution available to all and to eradicate segregation of vulnerable groups," concluded Miguel Angel Riva Palacio.