A museum in Italy is using AI-powered smart glasses to help visitors who are blind or have low vision experience artworks through audio descriptions.
The project, launched on 13 October 2026, is a collaboration between Meta, eyewear manufacturer EssilorLuxottica and Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera art museum.
The initiative, called Sensing Art – Discovering Masterpieces Beyond What Meets the Eye, allows visitors to explore eight artworks using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
When visitors stand in front of an artwork, the glasses recognise it and provide spoken descriptions through speakers built into the frames.
These descriptions cover details such as the artwork’s colours, shapes and composition, along with information about the artist and the history of the piece.
Visitors can also ask Meta AI questions or use Be My Eyes to connect with volunteers for live visual assistance.
The glasses have open-ear speakers, meaning visitors can listen to descriptions while still hearing what is happening around them.
People who are blind or have low vision were involved in developing and testing the experience, with input from Italian organisations representing people with vision impairment.
The project also builds on the museum’s existing DescriVedendo program, which has provided audio descriptions of artworks for almost a decade.
The glasses are available free of charge to eligible visitors through a booking system.
Although the project is currently limited to one museum, it could provide a useful example for galleries and museums in Australia looking to improve accessibility for visitors with vision impairment.
Audio descriptions are already used in many cultural venues, but the addition of smart glasses could give visitors another way to access information about exhibits without needing to rely on a separate audio guide or another person.
For more information, read Meta’s announcement about the AI glasses trial at Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera.