Exhibits & Experiences
Explore the vibrant, complex realities of blindness
At The Dot Experience, we know that blindness is not a limitation. It’s another way of being human.
Our exhibits untangle the everyday challenges, triumphs and realities of people who are blind or low vision—inviting you to step inside a world not defined by what’s missing, but by what’s possible.
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Lobby
Begin your experience in the lobby, where every visitor is welcomed and the journey officially begins. Our lobby invites you to explore the power of touch, the power of people, and the power of braille to set the stage for everything you’ll uncover inside The Dot Experience—the world’s most inclusive museum.
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Who We Are
How do you live fully in a world that often overlooks your needs? Who We Are invites you into the everyday realities of living with blindness—the moments of struggle, of strength, and connection that often go unseen.
Complex, ordinary, extraordinary, and real, Who We Are reveals the depth of how people who are blind or low vision experience life.
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Helen Keller
Discover the force of Helen Keller—unyielding and unafraid to defy the world’s expectations. From the stillness of silence, she sparked a revolution that forever changed how we perceive human potential.
Here, within the world’s largest collection of her personal and public records, on loan from American Foundation for the Blind, Helen’s voice continues to rise. Clear, insistent, and impossible to ignore.
When the world turned away, Helen turned inward and found the power to speak for millions.
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Change the World
Decode braille through the eyes of its inventor, Louie Braille, who in 1824 changed the way the world connects by creating the system of six raised dots still used today.
Innovation and invention are deeply rooted in APH’s mission and mandate. In Change the World, visitors explore the history, present, and potential future of innovative thinking and the invention that often accompanies it. Upon entering the final gallery, visitors are introduced to messaging and media centered around the spirit of innovation and the desire for a more inclusive world that has prompted early and modern changemakers to advocate for education, tools, and resources for the blind.
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APH Factory Tour
Go beyond the exhibits and discover where innovations and breakthroughs come to life. The American Printing House (APH) factory tour brings you closer than ever to the tools for education, work, and daily life that have been expanding access for people who are blind or low vision since 1858.
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Archival Collection
From rare artifacts to invaluable documents, The Dot Experience maintains the largest collection in the U.S. of historical materials related to blindness and education. Within the APH collection are the voices, tools and stories that have shaped generations. Discover how past breakthroughs continue to drive innovation today.
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Real people. Real impact.
The Dot Experience cast is made up of real people living vibrant and complex lives shaped by blindness and low vision. A MasterChef who rewrote the rules of cooking, a paralympic athlete who wrestled their way into the global spotlight, and advocates changing the future of access barely scratch the surface of the multifaceted individuals you’ll discover here.
Their stories unfold throughout the museum, reminding us what it means to live fully, adapt courageously, and create a more inclusive future.
