Enhancing cultural venues through accessibility: recent experiences in Italy and Portugal

A challenging debate about cultural heritage is taking place in different European countries. It covers the right to knowledge and experience expressed by people regardless of their circumstances and capabilities, and the preservation requirements, expressed by those responsible for heritage conservation and management. These apparently opposing needs can find a fine balance in a new concept of enhancement able to link ethical, cultural and economic values. This paper addresses some aspects of the current debate about accessibility to cultural heritage. Its purpose is to offer some food for thought on this matter and find alternatives able to increase the accessibility degree of the cultural venues without adversely affecting them. Two recent projects in highly sensitive cultural sites in Lisbon and Florence are reviewed. The analysis provides evidence suggesting that accessibility and conservation needs can be combined into a single common framework through creative and responsible design.