Sarzana, "augmentative texts" arrive at Diocesan Museum to promote inclusion

The Diocesan Museum of Sarzana opens its doors to an increasingly wide and diverse audience thanks to the TAM TAM project, implemented with the contribution of the Carispezia Foundation as part of the “Plural and Sustainable Culture” call for proposals. The initiative aims to intercept new groups of visitors, making access to cultural heritage a truly inclusive experience through innovative tools and routes.

TAM TAM, a name inspired by the African drum used to transmit messages at a distance, is composed of two souls, Everyone at the Museum and Multimodal Augmentative Texts, two pillars that summarize its inclusive mission.

“Building a proposed network of individuals, spaces and associations within TAMTAM is a long-term goal,” the museum explains. “TAMTAM is designed to be a project to be maintained and repeated: thanks to the skills and tools acquired, there is a concrete possibility of creating a real continuity in the territory by expanding the social impact of the project itself.”

All at the museum: community involvement

The main goal of “Everyone at the Museum” is to break down cultural, social and communication barriers that often limit access to culture. TAM TAM therefore proposes a network of collaborations with individuals, spaces and associations, with the intention of actively involving a cross-sectional audience: children, the elderly, families, people with cognitive disabilities and those who, for various reasons, do not usually feel part of the museum world.

Theinclusive approach is designed to create an experience that speaks to everyone, without exception. This ambitious vision is underpinned by the desire to enhance the local cultural heritage by making not only the Diocesan Museum’s collections accessible, but also city and suburban places of worship.

Multimodal Augmentative Texts: innovative paths

To achieve these goals, TAM TAM introduces communication tools designed to meet the needs of every visitor: the Multimodal Augmentative Texts. These are guides and fact sheets translated into Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) and facilitated language(easy to read), as well as descriptive audio files and other supports designed to make artworks usable even by those with complex communicative needs.

These tools, available in digital and print format, are intended to enable visitors to have a personalized and engaging experience, exploring the works and places independently or with the help of escorts. In particular, the contents have been reorganized and simplified to facilitate comprehension for preschool children, the elderly, and people with cognitive difficulties.

A choral project: from the museum to the territory

To make the project concrete and accessible, the Diocesan Museum team worked closely with educators specialized in inclusive communication and with experts in cultural education. This collaboration led to the definition of five key places and ten significant works on which the proposed itineraries are based.

The selected places include the Diocesan Museum itself and four churches in Sarzana: Santa Maria, San Francesco, San Giovanni and San Lazzaro. Among the most representative works are the famous Crucifix by Mastro Guglielmo and canvases by Domenico Fiasella, masterpieces that span different eras and styles, testifying to the historical and artistic richness of the area.

TAM TAM is the result of a shared effort between the Diocesan Museum and various local entities. The project partners are the parishes of San Lazzaro and San Francesco, the Anspi Santa Maria Oratory, theOgni Cuore Association, and the Pedagogical Pole La Palazzina Santa Luisa. Also crucial is the contribution of the Foundation Initiatives of Charity in Sarzana (InCaSa), active since 2023 in supporting social and cultural activities.

Sarzana, "augmentative texts" arrive at Diocesan Museum to promote inclusion

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