I went past the Dialog Museum on Hanauer Landstrasse almost every other day for over a year without ever realising exactly what it was. Then, last week, I ended up being taken for a surprise visit. I can’t recommend it highly enough as a place to go. I am planning to go back again soon and will certainly use it as a great way to entertain visitors in the future.

I guess my problem was that the name is misleading. There are loads of museums in Frankfurt and this seemed to be just another with an abstract theme that I couldn’t quite figure out. The museum is actually a guided tour through the daily life of a blind person. The whole tour is carried out in totally darkness and with the aid of a guide and a guide stick.

The tour will take about an hour in total and is fairly simple, but is a fascinating insight into the problems that the blind face in a city. After the tour (but still in the dark) you have the chance to talk to your guide about the practical problems they face being blind.

Obviously I don’t have many pictures to share, but I am also not going to ruin it by telling you exactly what was in the rooms – finding out is also part of the experience for first timers.

The tour suits both children and adults but there is also the possibility that some people may not cope with the experience of total darkness. One person in our group had some trouble and needed to leave quickly. The guide told us that around 2% of visitors can’t cope with the darkness and suffer anxiety attacks.

Prices are fairly reasonable at €16 for an adult and €8 for a child. There are various discounts as well for groups and special tours can be arranged. Keep an eye out for the various special events like ‘Gardening in the Dark‘ that is coming up in June.