Archaeological Heritage for All: A Heritage Site Accessibility Tool (HSAT) for Open-Air Archaeological Sites

Abstract

Accessibility to archaeological sites has become a growing concern among heritage managers, being one of the crucial aspects of cultural tourism in the contemporary world. I compiled a set of criteria creating a Heritage Site Accessibility Tool (HSAT), to assess accessibility for archaeological sites illustrating the possibilities of inclusion, with special regard towards people with disabilities. To demonstrate the validity of HSAT, several sites from the Mediterranean are examined and compared. Eight case studies were selected based on their cultural relevance and representation of different contexts on the islands of Sicily, Minorca, Ibiza, Malta, and Gozo. Results show the main problems found in the multiple dimensions of accessibility, as well as the strengths, and most importantly the possibilities for improvement.