When I go with our little one to the museum, it feels to me more like a workout. I have to lift our kid to see the art piece, and once he sees it, he wants to walk to the next one. That’s pretty good for my arms muscle, but I’m not sure an elderly could do the same kind of fitness training with her grandchildren.

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, seems to understand this problem. It appears that there at least some of the masterpieces are put at the children’s eye level. The museum makes its art more accessible to the little ones. And at the same time, it saves parents like me an unwanted fitness session.

But there is another benefit to this. If you are in a wheelchair, you’ll also experience the art at a height that works better for you.

There are obviously other ways to achieve the same result. For example, in some museums, you have some sort of “platforms” where kids can go on to be higher and nearer to the art displayed. That’s great for the kids. They see the art well. For the adults, they don’t have to lift their kids. But most of the time, it doesn’t work for people in wheelchairs as they can’t go on these platforms. 

I don’t know which would be the best solution that fits everyone, but I see value in this idea of bringing what’s usually up there down a little bit to make it more accessible to kids and maybe too to people who are in a wheelchair.

Thanks, Peter Horvath, for sharing the article of The Art News Paper who inspired this reflection.

Little side notes

• This is the very first shitty draft for this new Service Design Principle.

• Once adapted, even more, this principle will be part of the book "Service Design Principles 201-300"

• If you have a better idea for the title of this principle that would be a great help. It's not catchy enough and clear yet I think.