New technology makes Nottingham's past accessible for all

A new interactive feature is now available at the Galleries of Justice Museum to allow physically disabled visitors to explore the museum's undergrounds and discover its rich history. Nottingham's former law court and county gaol, the Galleries of Justice offers a popular Crime and Punishment Tour exploring the history of the building. Until now, many physically disabled visitors have been unable to access the entire tour. The design and age of the building meant that a lift could not be incorporated for the lower levels, preventing full access. Funded by NHS Aim Higher, Deborah Tuck and Roma Patel, researchers at Nottingham Trent University, have created an alternative tour to provide disabled users with a comparable experience to that of the live tour. Using real time game technologies the visitor can navigate, using a joystick, through a virtual reconstruction of the basement areas.  As they wander through the virtual space the live tour is replicated, using sound and video to tell the story of the old gaol house.   In addition to the scene-scapes, which are incredibly accurate and contain a lot of texture that are true to the rooms, there are oral histories guiding the visitor along and some other elements that help to bring the tour to life. Visitors can access this new technology for no extra cost, via the museum when they visit. Interested in finding out more? Plan your visit to the Galleries of Justice Museum.