Disability heritage

Explore heritage and stories of people with disabilities from across Europe

Notable people

Story

Swedish writer and Nobel prize winner

Four children by a water pump, two older children pumping water and the other two younger ones looking on.
Story

Documenting the The Great Depression and Japanese American internment

black and white photograph of Kay Espenhayn
Exhibition

German swimmer in the Paralympic Games who won multiple medals

Story

Explore the scientific and artistic careers of Ludwig van Beethoven, Louis Braille, Mileva Marić, and Francisco de Goya

black and white photograph, portrait of Frida Kahlo
Story

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is a role model for generations of artists, bisexual women and people with disabilities.

Black and white photograph of Knut Lundstrøm in an ice sledge
Exhibition

Norwegian Paralympian who won 21 medals across four different games

Colour photograph of Esther Vergeer playing tennis
Exhibition

Dutch tennis player who was unbeaten for more than 400 matches

Black and white photograph of Noor Inayat Khan wearing a uniform hat with a crest in the middle
Story

Four women who helped change the world we live in

Painting of Beethoven sitting in nature in front of trees with musical sheets on his lap.
Story

Beethoven’s Ode to Joy was chosen in 1972 as the official anthem of the European Union

Photograph of the installation work Vacation by Shonibare
Exhibition

British Nigerian artist exploring colonialism and post-colonialism in art

Disability heritage

a stack of postcards overlaid on top of each other.

Help transcribe letters, photographs, and documents written by and about soldiers with disabilities.

Story

In the 19th century innovations in raised type made written words accessible to visually impaired readers.

an artwork a man with dark hair with his arm on the table cupping his head in his hand. He is wearing a bright green shirt and a dark grey jacket
Gallery

This gallery features depictions of disabilities in artworks across centuries

black and white photograph, wheelchair user athletes parading in a stadium in front of large crowd
Story

Histories of the games for athletes with disabilities

a gray stone slab on a black background with a relief sculpture of two female faces and necks pointing looking to the left, in Ancient Egyptian style
Story

From a classical tradition to a modern aid for visually impaired people

black and white photograph of a book open in braille
Story

Explore objects relating to braille writing system

Hands spelling out in sign language the words 'Use a condom'; advertisement for safe sex by the British Deaf Association. Black and white lithograph.
Story

Visual communication using hand gestures and other types of body language

Exhibition

Soldiers with disabilities after World War I

Exhibition

The reintegration of soldiers after World War I