When I volunteered at a local aquarium in high school, I started documenting a list of tips for visiting aquariums with low vision after I noticed how there were certain exhibits I struggled with navigating as both a visitor and as a volunteer. Even though I loved getting to watch all of the fish swim around, I wasn’t always sure of what I was looking at, and would often miss out on incidental learning or visual experiences/educational experiences as the result of not knowing what I was looking at or not being able to read the signs. Here are my favorite strategies and tips for visiting aquariums with low vision, as well as ideas for improving the guest experience for visitors with visual impairments (inclusive of blind, low vision, and cortical visual impairment/CVI).
Reminder: visual impairment is a spectrum, not a binary
Visual impairment is not a binary where someone either can see everything or nothing at all; many people may still have some light perception or may not be able to use the vision they do have effectively. Visual impairment can affect individuals in many different ways, and what is considered accessible by one person may not be accessible to another. Alternatively, environmental factors may make it more challenging for individuals to use their residual vision effectively.
Related links
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Two of Everything: Living With Double Vision
- Using PicsArt To Simulate Low Vision
Before the visit, check if there is a social narrative available
A social narrative (also known as a social story) provides information about what visitors can expect in a particular situation or when navigating a specific environment, along with modeling appropriate behavior. They are often published online as part of an aquarium’s accessibility resources or may be written by a teacher or family member. While they are typically created with other disabilities in mind, social stories and social narratives can provide visually impaired guests with information that can help them navigate their environment, such as:
- Photos or realistic illustrations of the venue to aid with navigation or wayfinding
- Descriptions of what staff uniforms look like (helpful if the guest gets lost or separated from their group)
- Descriptions of what kind of sounds that may be encountered, or environments that have particularly loud sounds
- Information about seating for shows or viewing areas for exhibits
- Rules or guidelines for interacting with specific exhibits, such as touch tanks
I find social stories helpful as someone with low vision, and often use them alongside a map to plan my visit. Knowing what an environment looks like in advance makes it easier to navigate, and it also reduces the likelihood that I will be surprised with something that has a lot of flashing lights. This strategy is also helpful for people with cerebral visual impairment/cortical visual impairment, who may experience fluctuating vision in crowded or unfamiliar environments.
Related links
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Tips For Visiting Art Museums With Low Vision
- Solar Eclipse Accessibility Resources: Assistive Technology For Blind and Low Vision
Use optical aids or video magnifiers to look at items
Optical aids like bioptics and telescopes can be helpful for accessing faraway fish and other exhibit details, though visitors may also want to consider the use of video magnifiers that offer options for increasing contrast, using display filters, or “freezing” images to zoom in on details. Built-in video magnifiers like iOS Magnifier or camera applications can be used on a smartphone, though users should be cautious to avoid turning on a flashlight or using flash photography effects.
One example of an aquarium that offers options for using video magnifiers with low vision is the Georgia Aquarium, which offers free access to the ReBokeh customizable video magnifier app for all visitors. ReBokeh can be configured for low lighting conditions and has several options for saving custom color profiles.
Related links
- ReBokeh press release at Georgia Aquarium
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
- Accessible Maps and Wayfinding Tools For Low Vision
Check if an audio tour is available
Audio tours (also known as audio description) provide descriptions of aquariums and the animals that live there for visitors with visual impairments who might not otherwise be able to see them. Depending on the aquarium, audio tours may be played on a user’s personal device, or with a handheld device provided by the aquarium. This information would be posted in the accessibility information section of an aquarium website or at the venue. Aquarium of the Pacific, the Georgia Aquarium, and the National Aquarium are examples of aquariums with online audio description/audio tours.
Related links
- Fast Facts About Audio Description
- Aquarium of the Pacific Audio Tour
- Georgia Aquarium Audio Tour
- National Aquarium Audio Tour
Understand how usable vision impacts the aquarium experience
Movement, color, and lighting can play a significant role when it comes to viewing exhibits and aquariums for visitors with visual impairments. Depending on the individual’s vision, one or more of the following may be true:
- High-contrast fish such as tropical fish often “pop” against their surroundings and may be easier to track compared to those that blend into their environment
- Fish that move at a consistent speed may be easier to visually track compared to fish that move very slowly or don’t move very much. Alternatively, some people may find slow-moving or still fish to be easier to see
- Standing up close to a tank may make it more challenging to see larger fish due to a reduced viewing field
- Water or glass that isn’t clear can present additional visual challenges
- Aquariums that have simple backgrounds (e.g. not a lot of brightly colored rocks or plants) may make it easier to identify or locate animals
My family always knew that I had trouble seeing and would point out animals to me as they passed our viewing area. They would avoid using phrases like “I can’t believe you can’t see this,” or “you should be able to see that,” but would sometimes share tips about how I could view animals on my own, such as “turn to the right” or “look at the back of the wall” so I could have a better chance of seeing something. Being reminded that I can’t see something or being told “it’s too bad you can’t see this” doesn’t make going to the aquarium very fun!
Related links
Describing exhibits for visually impaired visitors
What’s happening in the aquarium? While I can see fish swimming around, it’s difficult for me to identify specific types of fish from a distance, and I might not notice something interesting happening in another area of the tank. Family members, friends, and/or aquarium staff can serve as visual interpreters by describing what is going on inside an aquarium for guests with visual impairments by using the following techniques:
Searching for accessible labels
It can be challenging to identify individual animals that are in large aquariums with other species, especially if the exhibit signs are not at eye level or are printed in small font sizes. Some museums have copies of exhibit labels online or available in large print/braille, though they may not be available for interactive exhibits like touch tanks.
Moving vs staying in place
Depending on the type of exhibit, some guests may prefer to stay in one place and let fish swim towards them, while others may prefer to walk around and look at the aquarium from different angles.
Regardless of the visitor position, it is helpful to provide location information about where an animal is located, using terms such as in front, to the left, or to the right. Clock positions are also useful, such as “the stingray is located at 1 o’clock.” Generic terms like here, there, and over there are not helpful and do not provide a strong visual reference.
Choose a focal point
What is the most exciting thing happening right now, or what would be the first thing a guest would notice when looking at an aquarium? This should be the focus of the description. When it comes to nonvisual descriptions, a helpful technique is to imagine someone is talking on the phone or on a podcast and narrating what is happening
Adapt descriptions to audience when appropriate
When describing fish to individuals, it can be helpful to adapt descriptions based on what an audience might recognize. Someone might not know what to do with the information that a Paracanthurus fish is chasing a clown fish, but knowing that the blue fish is chasing the orange fish can make it easier for someone with low vision to locate the area of interest. Alternatively, for someone that has seen Finding Nemo, hearing that Dory is chasing Nemo may provide a familiar point of reference.
Characteristics to include in visual descriptions
Helpful information to include in visual descriptions of aquariums can include:
- Color(s) of animal
- Size
- Species name
- Location within tank/area
- Any interesting movements or behavior
Related links
- How To Write Alt Text For Amateur Art
- How To Describe Science Experiments For Visually Impaired Students
Navigating touch tanks and interactive exhibits
At interactive exhibits like the touch tank, visually impaired visitors may be nervous or anxious about interacting with animals if they do not have a visual reference for what they look like— after all, would you feel comfortable sticking your hand in a tank if you had no idea what was inside?
In these contexts, sharing a visual description can be helpful for describing what different animals look like to guests. Here are some example descriptions of animals that are often present in touch tanks:
HORSESHOE CRAB
Horseshoe crabs have two highly distinctive features— their brown colored u-shaped shell and their six to nine inch long spiked tails. Their eyes are at the front part of their shells, and their underside features their small claws, legs, and mouth. Horseshoe crabs are about two feet long, and females are bigger than males.
HERMIT CRAB
Hermit crabs live in shells and have six legs as well as two large claws. Their bodies are pink or brown in color and can get to be as big as a coconut, though most fit in the palm of a hand.
SPIDER CRAB
Spider crabs have round and spiny shells with eight long and distinct legs, with two claws in the front. They are light brown and do not move very fast compared to other crabs. Their leg span can be up to one foot, though most touch tanks feature smaller specimens.
STARFISH
Starfish come in a variety of colors and sizes, with arms originating from a central point on their body. Their head is in the center and their mouth is on the bottom. They feel very bumpy, similar to asphalt.
Touch tanks often have an age minimum for visitors who want to touch the starfish since they can be easily stressed. Since the appearance of starfish can vary so much, it can be helpful to provide a description of the specific starfish someone is holding in terms of color, size, and texture.
MANTA RAY
Manta rays have broad heads and broad triangular fins with a long pointed tail, with eyes on either side of their head. They are gray or brown in color and may have additional spotted markings depending on the species. My friend calls them sea pancakes because they are very flat, and have a rippling effect as they move through the water!
NURSE SHARK/EPAULETTE SHARKS
Nurse sharks and epaulette sharks are slow moving sharks, with touch tank specimens usually being around three feet long. Epaulette sharks are smaller and darker, with a distinctive white-rimmed black spot on the back of their front fin. Nurse sharks are wider and larger with a gray color.
Navigating touch tanks with vision loss
The most important tip I can share for navigating touch tank experiences with vision loss is to ensure that the visitor with vision loss has control over their experience and that they provide consent. This can include:
- Ask guests if they would like to touch an animal before holding it in front of them— do not put the animal in front of them without saying anything
- Do not touch guest’s hands or move them without permission, unless they are in immediate danger of getting hurt
- If someone needs to touch the guest’s hand, ask before moving their hands, e.g. “can I move your left hand to touch the crab’s back?”
- Describe how the animal is being handled. If prompted, describe any measures that have been taken to keep the guest from getting hurt, such as indicating that the horseshoe crab tail is pointed away from the guest
- Make sure that guests know where to find hand sanitizer before entering and exiting the touch tank area
Augment the aquarium experience with technology
I love finding creative ways to use technology to make things at the aquarium easier to see, whether it is during a visit or when I’m at home. Some ideas for using technology to augment the aquarium visitor experience for guests with visual impairments can include:
- Using an app like Google Lens to identify animals and view high resolution images
- Watching livestreams from aquariums on a website like Explore.org, where viewers can zoom in on videos and get a better view of animals
- Browsing social media for aquariums, which post videos and high resolution photos of animals on exhibit
- Listening to an audio tour or podcast that provides information about specific exhibits or other behind-the-scenes info
- Downloading tactile graphics of different animals to develop a mental model of what they look like
Related links
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
- How To Add Alt Text On Social Media
- Free Braille Art and Tactile Image Libraries: World Braille Day 2024
- Explore livecams
More resources for visiting aquariums with low vision
- Looking for more ideas on how to describe animals? Read How To Write Video Descriptions For Animal Videos
- I worked with a student who found it easier to look at digital 3D models of fish compared to 2D photographs, and found several models from Microsoft— learn more in Using Digital 3D Models With Low Vision
- Looking for accessible books about aquariums? Check out How To Find Accessible Picture Books For Low Vision
Published November 12, 2018. Updated December 2024