Associated Press report in the San Jose Mercury News:

As a result of an agreement with the Justice Department, the popular International Spy Museum in Washington is now offering tactile maps, audio tours and other features to improve access to people with disabilities.

The changes were part of an agreement announced this week, and came after a blind man complained to the Justice Department in 2004 that the museum’s exhibits were inaccessible. Officials said the cost to the museum was about half a million dollars.

“I hope that the Spy Museum will set the example for other museums here in the Washington, D.C., area and across the country,” said Grace Chung Becker, the Justice Department’s acting assistant attorney general for civil rights. “They’ve really been a leader in this area.”

About 16 million Americans have a disability that affects the senses, according to the Justice Department. The Spy Museum has had more than 4 million visitors since opening in 2002.

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