Reflecting on the Venice Charter: Constructing an Accessible Environment for the Preservation of Taiwan’s Cultural Heritage

This paper explores the relationship between the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act and barrier-free environments by analyzing Taiwan's cultural heritage preservation laws, interviews, and case studies. The "Venice Charter" highlights restoration and preservation, advocating that added facilities should not harm existing structures. Although Taiwan's Cultural Heritage Preservation Act includes relevant provisions, it lacks specific regulations for enhancing barrier-free environments. Generally, design standards for general buildings are adapted to the characteristics of the reused cultural asset. In the context of reusing cultural assets, especially in museums or exhibition spaces, providing "equitable service" to all users is essential. Constructing barrier-free access within cultural heritage environments is fundamental to ensuring equitable service. This involves accommodating visually impaired, hearing impaired, and physically disabled individuals with flexible alternative improvement methods to offer inclusive accessibility.