• Photo of a wall with Dialogue in the Dark written in braille.

    Dialogue in the Dark Chengdu

  • Photo of the entrance of the Dialoghaus Hamburg with visitors in a ques, waiting for admission.

    Dialogue in the Dark Hamburg

  • Photo of the beautiful lobby of the 2020 Dialogue in the Dark venue in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The red walls and ceilings are interspersed with countless small lights, reminiscent of a starry sky.

    Dialogue in the Dark Dhahran

  • Photo of the entrance of the Dialogue in the Dark Seoul

    Dialogue in the Dark Seoul

Open a Dialogue in the Dark

In our everyday life, we rely very much on our eyes for orientation and to make sense of the world around us. But what if there is nothing to be seen? Dialogue in the Dark allows the visitors to explore an invisible landscape and urban living areas while being safely guided by a blind guide to learn not only about their own abilities, but as well the ones that lie in a life without sight. The visitors explore the unseen, and learn to see in darkness: An idea emerges, composed out of sounds, scents, wind, textures and temperatures and arises inner pictures in the people’s mind. At the same time, this reversal of roles creates a transformative experience that allows a new form of communication about disabilities and inclusion in our society, based on mutual trust and understanding.

Dialogue in the Dark creates meaningful encounters between people with and without disabilities, while allowing the visitors to discover their own strengths and curiosity, fostering empathy and promoting diversity. This unforgetable experience is for all public; individuals and groups of visitors age 8 and older.

How does the exhibition work?

Dialogue in the Dark consists of a series of darkened rooms that give the illusion of being in different parts of a city (a park, an urban area, a market, a bar). These illusions includes sounds, smells and touchable objects and textures. The standard exhibition consists of three rooms, but it is possible to add scenarios for bigger spaces. All rooms are barrier-free and secure for the visitors to explore. They are accompagnied by a visually impaired guide who will guide them and explore their experiences in a deep and enriching conversation during the bar visit, leaving the visitor with a feeling of achievement, empathy and connection.

What do I need?

Photo of the lobby and the entrance to the dark at the Dialoghaus Hamburg

The standard modular exhibition includes 3 different environments (park, city and bar) and requires a minimum of 200 sqm (2200 sqf):

  • 160 – 200m² ( 1700 – 2200 sqf):Installation (ideally in an open space)
  • 50 to 100m² (540 - 1000 sqf): Lobby and staff rooms
  • 50 to 100m² (540 - 1000 sqf): Pre- and post-tour educational activities

We are happy to adapt and extend the exhibition layout to larger and more complex space requirements. Several of our Dialogue in the Dark exhibitions worldwide comprise also wonderful examples of integrating local character and culture into the scenario, ranging from a bobsled ride during the Olympic Winter Games in Italy to a ride on a Tuk Tuk in Bangkok. For these extended scenarios, a space of 300-400m² (3200 – 4400 sqf) is required.

As a team, you should calculate the following amount of staff for each open day:

  • 1 on-site manager
  • 5 visually impaired guides / café bartenders (usually working in two shifts of 5 people each)
  • 1 welcome host / instructor
  • 1 booking and ticket-sales agent*
  • Maintenance and cleaning service*
  • 1 booking and information agent (optional)*
  • 1 educator for pre- and post-tour educational activities for schools (optional)*

* When »Dialogue in the Dark« is presented in a museum, less staff is required because many services already exist.

What is your idea?

Contact us via info(at)dialogue-se.com or use our contact form! We will be happy to explore the opportunities for your location.

What are the project stages?

Photo of the construction works at the Dialogue in the Dark Frankfurt

Usually, we calculate 6-9 months from the pre-project-phase to the opening of the actual exhibition. However, each project is individual and depends highly on the already existing aspects.

1. Pre-project

WHAT WE DO:

  • We study your project
  • We consult you on choosing a suitable venue/space
  • We support you with documents and products for your fundraising campaign (if needed)
  • We prepare the legal framework for a collaboration and partnership

WHAT YOU DO:

  • You evaluate your budget
  • You find an adequate space for your exhibition
  • You sign a “Letter of Intent” that allows exclusivity for 6 months to evaluate the feasibility of the project (optional)
  • You define the duration of the project
  • You sign a consultation & license agreement with us

2. Preparation

WHAT WE DO:

  • We give you a “tour behind the scenes”
  • We evaluate your location based on picture material or on-site visit if needed
  • We provide you with detailed technical plans of the exhibition layout
  • We consult your design and construction company on the set up of the exhibition
  • We connect you with the local blind-organisation and/or the blind-community

WHAT YOU DO:

  • You visit one of our venues
  • You define your project, taking into account the layout of your venue, your wishes and your constraints
  • You adapt the details of the settings and rooms to the local culture
  • You finalize your budget and business plan
  • You select the companies which will build your exhibition and lobby area (if applicable)
  • You define and select your local project team

3. Production

WHAT WE DO:

  • We accompany you from remote during the production phase
  • We advise you on improvements and questions regarding the set up and construction of the exhibition

WHAT YOU DO:

  • Your team or your construction company sets up and builds the exhibition and lobby area in the venue
  • You monitor progress and inform us about it regularly

4. Training

WHAT WE DO:

  •     We provide you with job-descriptions and support you with shortlisting the candidates
  •     Together with you, we select the most suitable candidates, based on our experience and knowledge
  •     We train the selected candidates and operational team via specialized training programmes on-site to become guides, welcome hosts, etc.

WHAT YOU DO:

  •     You advertise open positions / jobs
  •     Together with our team, you select the final candidates
  •     You organize all logistics for the training period, test run, and (soft) opening
Photo of the lobby at the Dialoghaus Hamburg: a group of red soafas with some visitors seated on them; on the walls portraits of the guides and posters of other dialog venues.

5. Opening

WHAT WE DO:

  •     We support you and your staff on-site during the (soft) opening phase
  •     We support you with documents regarding all operational routines of the exhibition

WHAT YOU DO:

  •     You open your Dialogue exhibition, operate it, and create a more inclusive society for everyone in your city!


What is your benefit?

You will be recognised as a driver for social inclusion in your community and especially the blind and visually impaired.


You will offer a unique experience to experience the own self, senses and abilities to overcome challenges.


Dialogue in the Dark offers a wide range of additional offers for profit, such as brithdays and dinners in the dark, workshops and special tours.


You will lead a very diverse team and will be able to reach out to influence people (from media to politics).


You are a living example of a social entrepreneur who acts locally and is connected globally.


You will meet amazing people who dedicated their live to bring Dialogue in the Dark to their cities.


Even as a non-profit, you will have more than profit.

Interested and a lot of questions?

Send us a message or use our contact form.