Below you will find detailed information about the wide range of offers at the Hands UP exhibition. Scroll through the sections and find out everything there is to know or jump directly to a section on the left (dots).
A particularly important target group for the year-round exhibition are schoolchildren (from around the age of 8) and students from all educational institutions. Participation in HANDS UP is an important part of social learning and the promotion of social and personal skills. It has been shown time and again that people who have already had positive experiences with deaf people (but also with other minorities) during their school and university years carry a positive attitude towards this group into their later social environment. They shape an inclusive and barrier-free future.
Together with our deaf guides, we offer interactive and humorous guided tours so that you and your class can immerse yourselves in the world of silence for an hour. Discover new worlds together:
What does it feel like to hear nothing? What barriers and access points are there for deaf people? How can you communicate even if you don’t speak the same language? What do facial expressions and body language express and why is sign language not international?
We recommend guided tours for a maximum of 15 people. This way we can guarantee that all participants have a good view of the guide and can actively participate in the exhibition programme. If your group is larger, it will be divided and the second group will start approx. 20 to 30 minutes later. The tour lasts approx. 1 hour. During the waiting time, participants have the opportunity to learn their first signs or the finger alphabet.
Our deaf guides take children and young people on an exciting journey of discovery into the world of silence.
They show them how much fun sign language can be. They fuel their curiosity to get to know the realities of life for deaf people. And you are at their side when they experience music like deaf people for the first time.
People who have had positive experiences with deaf people (or other minorities) during their school years carry a positive attitude into their later social environment. They shape an inclusive and barrier-free future.
The exhibition education and mediation is tailored to the respective age group.
We recommend a visit for children and young people aged 8 and over.
HANDS UP is endeavouring to recruit companies for school sponsorships. School sponsors buy a quota of tickets, dedicate them to a school and thus give young people free access to the exhibition and raise their awareness of an inclusive world of diversity.
Combine HANDS UP On Tour with an awareness-raising seminar or use the opportunity for team building.
Would you like to get to know the world of deaf people? We offer you a temporary or permanent installation with our travelling exhibition. HANDS UP On Tour adapts to local conditions and interests.
More information as pdf or contact us via Mail: office@handsup.wien
Your company and your employees will clearly benefit from a visit to Hands Up!
Because the shared experience strengthens the group. Because mental barriers are broken down. Because new horizons are opened up. Because it strengthens the courage to try out new things. Because diversity opens up new possibilities. Because creativity is given new impetus. Because new horizons open up. Because it strengthens the courage to try out new things. Because diversity opens up new possibilities. Because creativity is given new impetus. Because it’s fun!
For regular guided tours, we recommend group sizes up to a maximum of 15 people. This way we can guarantee that all participants have a good view of the guide and can actively participate in the exhibition programme. If your group is larger, it will be divided and the second group will start approx. 20 to 30 minutes later. The tour lasts approx. 1 hour. During the waiting time, participants have the opportunity to learn their first signs or the finger alphabet.
HANDS UP also offers exclusive guided tours for your company or group on request, specially tailored to your needs: 1 hour just for you, no other people from outside the group will be booked. The focus of the tour is based exclusively on your wishes and your questions can be specifically addressed. In addition, various special tours are possible, such as: deaf culture and history, contact and interaction with deaf people, the situation with interpreting, racism and exclusion, education & work, LGBTQI+, and much more.
An exclusive tour can be booked for a maximum of 15 people.
Exclusive guided tours specially tailored to your needs, without people from outside the group.
1 hour that belongs only to your group. The focus of the tour is based exclusively on your wishes, e.g. various themed tours are possible, such as LGBTQI+, cochlear implant (CI), deaf culture and history, racism and marginalisation
An exclusive tour can be booked for a maximum of 15 people.
HANDS UP is also mobile. We are travelling with the exhibition throughout Austria. For example, we were at the Old Town Hall in Linz as part of the Week of Linguistic Diversity. The city of Salzburg also invited the World of Silence to Mirabell Palace for a fortnight.
HANDS UP On Tour consists of flexible walls with illustrations and explanations, as well as interactive elements. There are also stand-up PCs showing various videos about the lives of deaf people, as well as sign language exercises. Technical aids for deaf people complement the exhibition.
Our deaf guides are the centrepiece of the exhibition and will guide you through their world.
Depending on the desired level of in-depth knowledge, we offer workshops of varying duration – either at your premises or ours. These are not only entertaining and humorous, but also customer-orientated, meaning that both the duration and the content are tailored to your wishes and needs.
The focus of the workshop is determined by mutual agreement and customised gestures are developed accordingly. Accompanied by interaction within your group, on our touch PCs and of course with our deaf guides, you will immerse yourself in a silent world together.
What barriers and access points are there for deaf people? How do you make contact with deaf people and what do you need to bear in mind when dealing with them? How does the situation change when an interpreter is present? What alternative communication options are there if you don’t speak the same language? What do facial expressions and body language express and why is sign language not international?
Do you still have questions? No problem – supported by our hearing communication assistant, there will be plenty of time for discussion, questions and answers.
If the workshop takes place at our premises, we also offer a customised puzzle rally on request.
“Gehörlose präsentieren Alltag im ORF Vorarlberg” (11.2022)
“Sonderausstellung zum 50-Jahr-Jubiläum” ORF Burgenland (09.2022)
“Die Welt der Gehörlosen” ORF Kärnten (09.2022)
“Welt der Gehörlosen: Ausstellung sensibilisiert” ORF Salzburg (10.2021)
“Ausstellung im Schloss Mirabell zeigt die “Welt der Stille” Mein Bezirk Salzburg (10.2021)
Fancy something new?
Come together as a family or as friends and experience the people you know in a completely new way: Who has the best facial expressions and who understands each other’s body language? Is lip-reading easy or is it not? Of course, individuals are also very welcome here – we endeavour to group them together according to the motto: You can kick a ball against the wall on your own, but it makes more sense and is more fun in a group!
HANDS UP is suitable for all age groups, from 0 to 99, and makes a fabulous gift for loved ones in the form of vouchers and for all occasions.
There is no minimum number of participants, but we recommend tour sizes up to a maximum of 15 people. This way we can guarantee that all participants have a good view of the guide and can actively participate in the exhibition programme. If your group is larger, it will be divided and the second group will start approx. 20 to 30 minutes later. The tour lasts approx. 1 hour. During the waiting time, participants have the opportunity to learn their first signs or the finger alphabet.
equalizent is a company with many years of experience in deafness, sign language and diversity management that operates successfully. At the same time, it is important to equalizent to improve society through its activities.
equalizent works with partners in Germany and abroad to improve the situation of deaf and hearing-impaired people. As experts in deafness and diversity management, equalizent identifies gaps in the market and is constantly developing new, contemporary products.
equalizent is innovation! In addition to its tried-and-tested services, equalizent is also constantly breaking new ground.
Among other things, you can learn sign language at equalizent.
As part of the Erasmus+ project “Deaf Museums“, equalizent has created an online exhibition on the topic of ‘Social life and art in the Austrian deaf community’.
The online exhibition consists of posters on eight different topics. There are playlists with videos for each topic. The first video shows the content of the poster in ÖGS. The other videos in the playlist consist of interviews with members of the Austrian deaf community on the respective topic. The videos have German subtitles.
The materials of the “Deaf Museums” project can be used free of charge.