muZIEum — Attraction in Nijmegen

This was simply a great experience, that will try to make you feel like a person that has lost their vision.

You should know that booking can be done online or by phone if you speak Dutch, if you speak any other language and you need a tour in English then you must call or go to the place to book a spot. It’s not possible to do it online at the moment.

The day of the reservation after you arrive, you’re checked in by someone from the staff at the museum reception (some of the people working here are volunteers, really nice people and friendly).

First thing that they request from you is to leave every device that you have that might turn its screen on, or blink or make a sound, whatever, at the lockers (this is really important to preserve the illusion). After that, you are free to wander around the museum while you wait for your time to start the experience. The museum has some videos and explanations of how Braille works and also some games where you can experience things as visually impaired person. There’s also a cafe and toilet.

The experience is started in the 2nd floor, after a briefing and explanation on how it will work and what you might experience. Most of the experience surface is flat so you shouldn’t have any problem, there are some small steps, but your guide will help you with these.

Once you have been briefed, and that you received your white cane (stick) you will be taken to the 2nd floor, and then enter in the dark room where the experience will begin with one of your guides. These guides are people that have lost their vision totally or partially so they will try to make you feel and perceive things the way they do.

During the experience you will go through some sort of “guided path” which makes things a bit easier, but if you dare you can move a bit more. Remember it is completely dark. You won’t see a thing!

I believe that experiences vary, based on other reviews that I saw. My guide was called Bart, and the experience was to feel how a normal day was for him… and I won’t say more than that ;). During your tour, you might ask questions to the guide and he/she also tell you things about their challenges and the way they have solved them.

I strongly recommend doing this to everyone. It’s a really nice experience and it could also help you “see” things from a different perspective, and open up your mind a bit. Although, I think it might not be suitable for all children. Depends how they accept...

A museum that takes one through the daily experiences of the visually impaired. It is a simulation in a completely darkened hall of what one would encounter at a train station, at the pub, when one checks into a hotel etc. and how the visually impaired go about things in their daily life. The 60-90 mins that we spend there is worth every second and this is a must do for anyone visiting Nijmegen. I was the only person in my group at that time (The last English tour of the day) and had the complete attention of the guide, Bart, who was simply amazing. He was very knowledgeable, and was from Canada which made it all the more better for me . As we enter the guided tour we are “slammed” by the darkness and he encouraged me to go through with the tour and it was one of the best advices I listened to, as within a couple of minutes I started enjoying the tour. And as we step out when the tour is over, we can only appreciate the heightened and sharpened senses of those who are visually...

Enlightening experience! Booked an English guided tour for «Donker Belevingen». Was a bit frustrating at the beginning, because I couldn't pay online as a foreigner – which was quickly solved with a call. The price is reasonable, the museum is central. It's less of a traditional museum and more of an interactive experience. In «Donker Belevingen» you take on the role of a blind person and live through our very own daily life from a different perspective. Everything is pitch dark, all you get is a stick and your other senses to find your way around numerous spaces, such as: Home, Grocery store, Street and others. The guide was talkative, supportive and always around in case someone got lost. It was a frightening experience, but one that truly made me appreciate my visual senses more and not take them for granted, as well as be able to cognitively empathize with sight impaired people. I recommend muZIEum to anyone – it's something everyone can relate to and literally...