FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- A new gallery has been created at the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum unlike the usual pieces you'll find in museums, you can actually get your hands on the art.
Signs that say, "Please touch the art" are now up in the gallery, which is not a normal sight for museum-goers.
"I was surprised to see the sign," visitor Lucky Sadhra said. "It will be amazing for people to come and feel and touch it."
Even in the first day of opening, the museum has seen quite a few visitors for the exhibit that's the first of its kind in the state of Arkansas.
"I've seen a few people touching and feeling and some families have come in, and the squeals of delight were quite noticeable," Louis Meluso, Executive Director of the museum said.
Most of us are often deprived of being able to explore the material and textures used by artists, but now, using your sense of touch will change that.
"I developed the Touch Gallery so visitors have that opportunity to not only learn about different materials used in making art objects, but also in experiencing the tool marks and the actual hand marks that artists use in creating them," Meluso said.
Meluso donated all the pieces from his personal art collection.
The museum is hoping the Touch Gallery will bring in visitors from all walks of life to touch the pieces, especially those with sensory disabilities.
"I think there's a lot of benefit to having these objects available in different types of material," Meluso said. "We have carved wood. We have bronze. We have resin. We have marble and visitors, especially children, can feel what these different materials feel like."
Visitors said they're excited to spread the word.
"I have a niece and this is something to bring them to and so they can see the beauty of it. I definitely want to bring them," Sadhra said.
Those at the museum said they plan on changing out the objects that you can touch over time, giving people even more aspects of art to explore.
The Regional Art Museum also has an educational program for students and the new gallery will be one of the newer concepts introduced to those students.
For more information about the Touch Gallery or for the hours of the museum, click here.