In accordance with the Guiding Opinions on Promoting Information Accessibility issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, the Palace Museum’s official website recently launched a suite of accessibility browsing features, to ensure equal and convenient access to digital resources and services for all members of the public. These features can be activated through the “Accessibility” button, found on the homepage.
The features comply with the “General Design Specifications for Elderly-Friendly Internet Websites,” the national standard GB/T 37668-2019 “Information Technology—Internet Content Accessibility Technical Requirements and Conformance Testing,” and the relevant technical requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. Through age-friendly and accessibility adaptations, the following assistance is now available to users of the official website.
- Visual aids that support page zoom, high-contrast display modes, color inversion, and other viewing options to improve text readability.
- A text-to-speech function that can read page content aloud with adjustable speech rates.
- Full keyboard operability: complete access to all features without requiring a mouse.
- Accessibility adaptations for multilingual versions (English, French, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese), with voice broadcast available as an additional feature in the English and Traditional Chinese versions.
- Full compatibility with mobile devices to enhance touchscreen operation experience.
The new accessibility features underscore the Palace Museum’s commitment to digital inclusion and an accessible information society. We are dedicated to ensuring barrier-free access to the best of traditional Chinese culture embodied by the Palace Museum for all, including key groups such as older adults and persons with disabilities, thereby making our cultural resources truly inclusive.
This feature is currently in a trial phase. We welcome all feedback, which can be shared by clicking the “Feedback” icon on the homepage.