The American Academy of Ophthalmology announced plans to construct the world’s first public museum dedicated to vision and eye health in San Francisco.
The academy is proposing a 3,500-square-foot museum in the heart of a major tourist destination, Fisherman’s Wharf. It is anticipated that more than 30,000 people will visit the museum in the first year alone.
“The opening of a museum in San Francisco enables the academy to showcase its collection of more than 38,000 artifacts, books, and instruments,” the American Academy of Ophthalmology said in a statement. “These treasures have been collected for more than 30 years as the Museum of Vision, but opportunities to view them are limited to a yearly exhibit at the Academy’s annual conference.
“Some of the collection can be also viewed by appointment at the Academy’s headquarters, located in San Francisco.”
Plans call for creating an immersive experience, featuring virtual reality headsets and interactive screens, to allow visitors to explore ophthalmology’s history, its professional visionaries, technological advances, medical breakthroughs, and the latest innovations saving sight today.
The museum will be designed for visitors of all ages. School tours will be offered for students. Rotating exhibits, talks, and events, are also planned.
The academy expects to open the museum in 2020.
