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Accessibility

European Accessibility Act for museums: What does it mean for websites, booking and audio guides in 2026?

By Thøger Elung-Jensen
8 minutes

Accessibility is no longer a bonus feature

Accessibility is a digital responsibility for the museum. It applies to the website, booking and the interpretation the visitor meets on their phone.

Two different acts are often mixed up. The Accessibility Act (Tilgængelighedsloven, the implementation of the European Accessibility Act) applies from 28 June 2025 and covers products and services aimed at consumers. The Web Accessibility Act (webtilgængelighedsloven) applies to public authorities and bodies governed by public law, including most state-recognised museums, and it is the act that actually binds museums' digital interpretation.

It has not been verified that museums' audio guides as such are covered by the Accessibility Act. Self-service terminals such as ticket machines, by contrast, are clearly covered. A more precise walkthrough of which act applies where is in Which accessibility law applies to museums.

The work makes sense for several reasons:

  1. More visitors get a better experience
  2. The museum is in a stronger position when the digital setup is already thought through
  3. Accessibility work becomes easier when it is taken on early, not first as firefighting
  4. Small improvements in the digital layer can be felt directly across the whole visitor journey, from the first visit to the site to the experience on the spot

And in practice it is often the same things that help visitors with disabilities, international tourists and busy families with children.

Two acts, two deadlines

The Accessibility Act does not set out how accessibility is achieved, only the result: accessibility for as many people as possible. A requirement that information be available through more than one sensory channel is central. Supervision sat with the Danish Safety Technology Authority (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen), which from January 2026 has been merged with the Danish Business Authority (Erhvervsstyrelsen).

For websites, booking and digital interpretation at state-recognised museums, the Web Accessibility Act is the legal anchor. The binding standard today is EN 301 549 version 3.2.1, which refers to WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

WCAG 2.2 is expected to become a requirement late in 2026. The Agency for Digital Government (Digitaliseringsstyrelsen) lists EN 301 549 version 4.1.1 for 30 November 2026, but itself writes "reportedly". There is no confirmed date for the reference in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Agency's advice is unambiguous: specify requirements according to the latest applicable version of EN 301 549.

The Museums Act has a requirement of its own. § 14, stk. 1, nr. 14 says that the museum shall strive for the greatest possible accessibility for persons with disabilities.

The figures show there is some way to go. In the Agency for Digital Government's supervision for 2025, 28 per cent of the simplified web monitoring exercises complied with the Act, while 37 per cent did not. In the in-depth monitoring, 65 per cent failed the requirement on language for parts of the content. A survey from Videnscenter om handicap (February 2026) shows that only 13 per cent of the museum staff asked say they live up to WCAG 2.0, and that only 18 per cent have accessibility as an integrated part of their strategy.

That does not mean the whole exhibition has to be changed overnight. It means the digital parts around the visit should be easy to use for as many people as possible:

  • The website, where information about opening hours, prices, access and current exhibitions should be easy to find and easy to understand
  • Booking and ticket purchase, where visitors should be able to complete the purchase quickly without hitting unnecessary barriers
  • Mobile and web-based audio guides, which should preferably work directly in the browser and not require extra installations
  • QR codes and landing pages, which are often the visitor's first encounter with digital content during the visit
  • Forms, contact flows and support, where it should be clear what to do, and how to get help if something goes wrong

If a visitor cannot find their way to ticket purchase, cannot complete a form with a keyboard, or cannot play an audio guide on their phone, you have a problem long before the visitor reaches the exhibition.

Where will museums feel it first?

Most museums do not fail on one large problem. They fail on many small ones.

Here are the most common places where the digital experience becomes difficult:

1. A website with poor contrast or unclear navigation

If text and buttons are hard to read, the page quickly becomes heavy for everyone. That is especially true on mobile. Many museums have good intentions, but end up with a design where important information drowns in large images, small type or menus that do not make it clear where to click.

2. A booking flow with too many steps

Every extra page, drop-down or compulsory account creation increases the risk of drop-off. If a visitor just wants to buy a ticket quickly, the flow should be as short and clear as possible. The more choices and details that have to be filled in, the greater the risk that the user gives up along the way.

3. PDFs used as primary content

PDFs can be fine as a supplement, but they are rarely the best way to deliver important information. They are often poor on mobile, hard to navigate and can be awkward to read with assistive technology. The most important messages should therefore sit on the web page itself, not be tucked away in documents.

4. Audio guides that require an app download

If the visitor first has to find an app, create a login and grant permissions, you lose many users along the way. That creates friction right where the experience ought to be simple. A good solution is that the visitor can get started at once, without thinking about installation, account creation or technical steps.

5. QR experiences without a clear structure

A QR code is only a good solution if it leads to a page that is clear, mobile-friendly and quick to use. If the scan sends the user on to a heavy homepage or a cluttered page with tiny links, the QR code loses its value. It should point directly to the content the visitor needs.

The 6 things you should check first

You do not need to start with a huge accessibility project. Start with what moves the needle most.

1. Contrast and readability

Text, buttons and links should be easy to see. That is especially important in exhibition environments, where light and reflections often cause trouble, but also on mobile screens in sunlight. A good contrast level makes the page more comfortable to read for everyone and reduces the risk that important information is overlooked.

2. Keyboard navigation

Everything on the page should be usable without a mouse. It is a good test of whether the page is built properly, and whether it is possible to move around without getting stuck on elements you cannot select or activate. If tab navigation feels chaotic, it is often a sign of larger problems in the underlying structure.

3. Clear labels and error messages

If a form fails, the user should get an explanation that is easy to understand and act on. It does not help to write that "an error has occurred" if the user cannot see which field is missing something, or how to fix it. Error messages should be specific, friendly and close to the place where the problem arises.

4. Plain language

Many museums write as if the text is for internal use. That is a mistake. Use clear words and short sentences, and avoid jargon that only makes sense to staff. When the language is simple, it becomes easier for Danish visitors, international guests and people with reading difficulties.

5. Mobile first

Many visitors use their phone on arrival. If it does not work on a small screen, it does not work well enough. Buttons should be easy to hit, text should be readable without zooming, and the most important actions should be findable at once.

6. Alternatives to sound and images

Audio, video and graphics should have some form of alternative or explanation, so that more people can follow along. That can be subtitles, text versions, descriptions or supplementary content that makes the material understandable even when someone cannot or does not want to use the original format.

What does this mean for audio guides?

This is where museums can really gain an advantage. An accessible audio guide is good practice under the Web Accessibility Act. It is not a documented requirement in the Accessibility Act (EAA) for museums' own interpretation solutions.

A good audio guide can be one of the most accessible parts of the whole museum experience, if it is built properly.

That typically means:

  • No compulsory app download, so the visitor does not have to go through extra steps before the experience can start
  • A QR code that opens directly in the browser, so the content can be reached at once
  • Large, clear buttons that make it easy to pause, play and change tracks
  • Fast loading, so the visitor does not lose patience while the page opens
  • Clear language choices, so you can quickly pick the version you understand best
  • Good volume and simple playback, so the technology does not take up more space than the interpretation itself

If the visitor can open the guide with one scan and start listening at once, you are well ahead of many traditional solutions.

That does not only help visitors with visual impairments or reading difficulties. It also helps:

  • international visitors who would rather listen than read, because audio is often faster and more intuitive than long blocks of text
  • families who want to move quickly through the exhibition, and who need a solution that does not require extra setup
  • older visitors who prefer audio to small text, and who value a simple, calm interface

Where AI can help without making things more complicated

Many museums think that accessibility and more languages automatically mean more work. They do not have to.

AI can help make the process easier, if it is used properly:

  1. Faster translation and versioning

    • When a text changes, it can be updated more quickly in several languages, so the content does not go stale simply because there are many versions.

  2. More consistent production

    • You avoid reinventing the format every time a new exhibition opens, because the structure can be reused and adapted instead of being built from scratch.

  3. Cheaper updates

    • When you are not locked into a traditional studio session, it becomes easier to keep the content current, even when opening hours, texts or tracks need to be adjusted quickly.

  4. A stronger user experience

    • AI can help with the narration itself, but the best solution is still a combination of technology and human quality assurance, so the result both sounds natural and fits the museum's tone.

The most important thing is not that everything is clever. The most important thing is that the visitor can quickly understand and use it.

A practical 30-minute starting plan

If you want to get started without a large project, begin here:

  1. Open your website on a mobile phone

    • Can you understand the homepage in 10 seconds?
    • Can you find opening hours, ticket purchase and practical information without a long search?

  2. Try to buy a ticket as a new user

    • How many clicks does it take?
    • Is there anything that only works for people who already know the system?
    • Are you asked for details that are not actually needed for the purchase?

  3. Scan one of your QR codes

    • Do you land directly on the right page?
    • Is the page easy to use with one hand?
    • Is it clear what the next step is when the page opens?

  4. Test the audio guide without the volume on max

    • Are the buttons clear?
    • Is the language plain?
    • Are there too many steps?
    • Can you start playback without having to guess your way forward?

  5. Make a list of the 3 biggest points of friction

    • Start there. Not 30 places at once.
    • It is better to get a few central things solved properly than to spread the effort too thinly.

What museum leaders should take away

Accessibility is not only a compliance project. It is also a better visitor experience.

The museums that get there first will typically come across as:

  • more professional, because their digital experience feels thought through and coherent
  • more welcoming, because the visitor can quickly find what matters
  • easier to visit, because fewer small barriers stand in the way of the visit
  • better prepared for international visitors, because language, structure and accessibility work better together

And the best part is that many of the improvements do not require large investments. They mainly require a clear focus on user experience.

If you are already working with audio guides, you are in a good place. You have a format that can make the experience more accessible, more flexible and easier to understand.

How we can help

If you want to make the museum's audio guide more accessible, we can help with a solution that is easy to use, works across languages and does not require a heavy app installation.

See how our solution works and try a demo with your own text.

Sources

About the author:
Thøger Elung-Jensen is co-founder of Audioguiden and works to help museums use AI to get museum interpretation out to more people.

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