How the Kyushu National Museum is Making History Accessible in Many Languages — Including Sign Language

Imagine walking into a museum and instantly having access to exhibit information in your native language — whether it’s Japanese, English, Spanish, Korean, or even JSL (Japanese Sign Language).

At the Kyushu National Museum in Fukuoka, Japan, that vision is a reality thanks to NaviLens.

The museum is one of the pioneers in using NaviLens, an innovative QR code technology that enhances accessibility for blind, deafblind, and Deaf visitors and international tourists. Visitors simply scan a brightly colored, high-contrast NaviLens code using their smartphones' free NaviLens or NaviLens GO apps. Without even needing to tap the screen or frame the code precisely, the app detects the code from near or far — and instantly begins reading out or displaying information.

What Makes Kyushu’s Approach So Inclusive?

Kyushu National Museum uses NaviLens to:

• Provide exhibit information in multiple spoken and written languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, and Spanish.

• Offer Japanese Sign Language (JSL) videos, allowing Deaf visitors to access content in their native signed language. See their page: Sign language videos introducing the museum

• Support blind and low-vision visitors by enabling screen-reader-style audio descriptions via the NaviLens app.

• Eliminate the need to touch shared devices or ask for special tours — accessibility is literally in the visitor’s pocket.

  
  

A Model for Museums Everywhere

By using NaviLens, the Kyushu National Museum has removed major barriers that visitors with visual or hearing disabilities often face. But beyond that, they’ve embraced universal design — making the experience better for everyone, from foreign language speakers to neurodiverse visitors who prefer audio or visual input on demand.

This approach reflects a powerful shift: accessibility isn’t an add-on — it’s part of the design.

Why It Matters

Museums are keepers of culture, but without accessible tools, many people are left on the outside looking in. Integrating NaviLens, the Kyushu National Museum proves that accessibility and innovation go hand in hand.

For Deaf visitors, the inclusion of sign language is especially impactful. It's not just about having captions — it's about being welcomed in your language, in a way that respects your identity and communication preferences. Hopefully, other museums will soon follow KNM's lead in this area, and eventually, all museums will offer display information in multiple sign languages.

Want to Learn More?

As a NaviLens evangelist, I’m working to bring similar solutions to museums worldwide — including in the U.S. If you're curious about how NaviLens can bring on-demand sign language, Braille access, and more to your exhibits, feel free to reach out to NaviLens at info@navilens.com or to me, Tim Fahlberg, at tim dot fahlberg at gmail dot. Let’s make every museum visit inclusive, informative, and inspiring.