About Accessible Games Night with RNIB and TripleTapTech: Visual Impairment

A night of accessible gaming with TripleTapTech and RNIB for people who are blind or partially sighted.

Join us for a sociable evening of gaming for people who are blind or partially sighted. We are partnering with RNIB and TripleTapTech to create a special event where visitors can play on a range of accessible games provided by gaming innovators TripleTapTech.

Visit the Game On exhibition, then get hands on with adapted VR, Nintendo and Playstation 5 experiences. Plus a chance to find out about recent developments within the world of accessible gaming with RNIB, including their Design for every gamer initiative.

TripleTapTech are a Charity set up by people with a visual impairment to help others with a visual impairment to use technology.

RNIB Scotland works on behalf of all people in Scotland with sight loss.

On the day

Entry is via Lothian Street which has ramped access, not via the Main Entrance on Chambers Street.
If you are in the museum prior to the event you will be asked to leave and re-enter the building via Lothian Street.
A member of staff will be there to assist you on arrival.
Lift access is available to the exhibition gallery.

Exhibition accessibility

We want everyone who comes to our museums to enjoy their time with us and make the most of their visit. 

While many of the games within this exhibition are playable by people with disabilities or access needs, some may be inaccessible for visitors with certain disabilities/access needs. See below for further information, or if you have specific requirements or questions, please contact us at info@nms.ac.uk for details.

Visit our accessibility page for general access information for the National Museum of Scotland.

General access information

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other recognised assistance dogs are admitted.
Lifts are available to all floors of the museum.
There are toilets on most floors of the museum, including accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. There is a Changing Places (U) toilet in the Entrance Hall on Level 0.

Wheelchair and mobility scooter users

Museum entrance

Entry is via Lothian Street which has ramped access.

Borrow a wheelchair

Wheelchairs are available for loan at no charge. On arrival, ask about availability at the Information Desk.  Please note wheelchairs cannot be booked in advance.

Small mobility scooters are permitted inside the museum and the exhibition.

Games in the exhibition

The majority of games are playable by wheelchair users, however due to the historic nature of some of the arcade consoles the height is not suitable for wheelchair users. There is also a driving game which requires sitting in a racing car.

Autistic or sensory sensitive visitors

In the exhibition

Game On is a very interactive and sensory exhibition with games including lights, colour changes and sounds.

Sensory resources

Ear defenders are available to borrow for free from the exhibition ticket desk on Level 3. A limited number of sensory backpacks are available at the information desks in the Main Entrance Hall and the Tower Entrance. These backpacks cannot be booked in advance.

Download a Sensory Map for the exhibition.

Relaxed viewings

Relaxed viewings of the exhibition are available on selected dates. During these times visitor numbers will be reduced and the sound on games lowered.

Please check our What's On page for relaxed viewings.

Blind or partially-sighted visitors

The exhibition consists primarily of video games which are visual by nature and may be challenging for blind or partially sighted visitors as audio-description settings will not be turned on as standard.

D/deaf or hard of hearing visitors

Hearing induction loops

There is a hearing induction loop at the information desk outside the exhibition gallery.

Games in the exhibition

Most of the games are very visual in nature. Some of the games will have subtitles which can be turned on by the user.

Visitors with epilepsy/photosensitivity

A very small percentage of individuals may experience epileptic seizures when exposed to certain light patterns or flashing lights. There are no flashing lights in the exhibition, but many of the games feature rapid changes in light levels and colour saturation. The screens in the exhibition operate at 50/60 hertz as televisions do at home.

We cannot provide a list of 'safe' games as the range of triggers is so varied, but the following suggestions will help to mitigate the risk:

Wear a pair of blue light filtering glasses to help minimise the risk of a trigger
Stand at least 90cm from the screen when playing any game to ensure the screen does not fill your vision
Play only games that are a slower pace/intensity and avoid high action games such as those in the arcade section of the exhibition.
Visit with a person who is aware or your condition and can support you in event of feeling unwell

If you experience any of the following symptoms while playing a video or computer game - dizziness, altered vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss of awareness, disorientation, any involuntary movement, or convulsions - IMMEDIATELY discontinue use and consult your doctor before resuming play. 

Accessible controllers/games

There are two games playable with adaptive controllers: Minecraft  and Pine Hearts. We have built these controllers in a way that allow a wide range of users with motor disabilities to play.

However, please note that we are not able to customise them to the needs of each specific visitor.  