In Radio Taxandria, an archaeologist, a boarding school student, and a tower guard take you on a journey through the history of the Antwerp Kempen region—now also available in Flemish Sign Language (VGT).
The 16th-century 'Huis Metten Thoren', which houses the Taxandria Museum in Turnhout, was once inhabited by prominent families and often served as lodgings for kings and nobles. The concept of the permanent exhibition 'Hotel Taxandria' therefore contains a clear nod to the history of the museum building. In each room, you will find traces of a particular guest who gives you a different perspective on the history of the region. You will enter the rooms of the boarding school student, the collector, the archaeologist, and the tower guard, among others.
You can hear them speaking via telephones with audio clips: the Women of Turnhout argue about who the residents of Turnhout hold most dear in their hearts, the young lace maker Trees says she would like to finish her long working day, and meanwhile the tower guard warns of an Austrian invasion. Each of these are fictional stories based on historical facts, and they have recently been translated into Flemish Sign Language.
Thanks to a collaboration with Doof Vlaanderen vzw and local deaf club Piramime vzw, we can now also make the audio clips visually accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors. With QR codes on phones and the scanner in the ErfgoedApp , the videos in Flemish Sign Language ErfgoedApp very easy to view.
The clips are also interesting for visitors who do not speak VGT. The subtitles will help you along the way. The interpreters in the videos immerse themselves fantastically and wear appropriate clothing to convey the atmosphere of each story as visually as possible.
Would you like to discover the diverse stories and lively anecdotes about the Antwerp Kempen? You are most welcome! Hopefully our guests won't keep you waiting too long.
- Intrigued? Discover ‘Radio Taxandria in VGT’ with the ErfgoedApp.
- Borrow a tablet free of charge at the museum desk. All practical information can be found at www.taxandriamuseum.be.
A project by the Taxandria Museum (Museums Turnhout) in collaboration with Doof Vlaanderen and Piramime vzw. The project was made possible thanks to the support and assistance of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Society Taxandria, Lions Club Turnhout, and the Flemish government.
