Abstract

Access, inclusion, diversity, sustainability, and community participation have become central principles in contemporary museum sector practice. In Egypt, museums are both morally and legally required to provide reasonable accommodations to remain relevant to an increasingly diverse population. While recent reforms aligned with Egypt’s vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicate progress, many initiatives still fall short of ensuring inclusive access for disabled people. Although the national government has acknowledged disability rights and access has slowly improved in some of Egypt’s newest museums, the study reveals that progress is hindered by two significant barriers. The first is the prevailing reliance on the medical and charity models of disability, which continue to shape understandings of accessibility. While museums have the potential to address this issue, their role as social institutions beyond education and culture is not yet fully recognized by the state, creating a second barrier. Using qualitative methods that integrate document analysis and interviews with key museum officials, this study assesses current accessibility practices and institutional challenges. The findings highlight that accessibility initiatives remain fragmented, often limited to short-term projects without dedicated budgets, standardized codes, or sustained staff training, with some progress occurring mainly in newly established or recently modernized museums. The study outlines future directions to advance inclusion in line with international disability rights frameworks and the SDGs.