Who? How? What? The blindekuh manifesto
A major employer in Switzerland.
The non-profit foundation was founded in 1998 as “Blind-Liecht” and renamed “blindekuh” in 2017. It promotes dialogue between the sighted and the non-sighted – and supports projects that create jobs for the blind and visually impaired. For these people, the foundation is an important employer. It has received several awards for its dark restaurant concept.
The Blindekuh restaurants in Basel and Zurich offer an extraordinary experience: dining in complete darkness. The name “Blindekuh” comes from the children’s game in which one person, blindfolded, tries to catch the others. In a similar way, our guests experience a meal without visual stimuli. This sharpens their other senses and raises awareness of the everyday world of blind people. Blind and visually impaired staff guide guests through the darkness, strengthening understanding and inclusion.
The Blindekuh Foundation is driven by the vision of raising awareness of the world of blind and visually impaired people. Our mission is to create deeper understanding and greater empathy through extraordinary experiences in the dark. We want to break down barriers and promote inclusion by enabling encounters between sighted and non-sighted people.
We believe that a change of perspective can lead to greater tolerance and consideration. By giving sighted people the chance to experience the world for a short time from the perspective of blind people, we want to build awareness and understanding. Our work aims to help improve the integration and acceptance of people with visual impairments in our society.
We run restaurants where guests can enjoy their meals in complete darkness. We also offer workshops, events, and training sessions aimed at raising awareness of the everyday world of blind people. Our activities are designed to create sensory experiences and encourage dialogue between sighted and non-sighted people.
We are not a typical hospitality venue focused solely on culinary pleasures. For us, it’s not just about the food, but above all about the experience and becoming more aware of your own senses. We don’t place value on visual presentation, and we don’t use traditional advertising measures aimed at outward impressions.
A visit with us gives you the chance to experience your senses in a completely new way. You’ll perceive the flavours and textures of the food more intensely and gain an insight into the lived reality of blind people. What’s more, by visiting you support our social mission and help promote the integration of people with visual impairments.
Every day, we work to create unforgettable experiences and drive our goal of inclusion forward. Our doors are open daily to guests who are ready to embark on this special adventure. Our team of blind and visually impaired staff ensures that every visit becomes a unique experience that stays with you for a long time.
The story of the world’s first dark restaurant
In 1998, the Zurich Museum of Design showed the exhibition “Dialogue in the Dark.” The blind pastor Jürg Spielmann and the visually impaired psychologist Stephan Zappa worked as exhibition guides and got to know each other. Together they developed the idea for a dark restaurant. Along with the blind social worker Andrea Blaser and the blind singer Thomas Moser, they founded the non-profit foundation “Blind-Liecht.”
In 1999, the four friends opened the world’s first dark restaurant with the help of the foundation. blindekuh Zurich quickly gained enthusiasm beyond national borders – and from 2001 onwards, it was copied several times abroad. In 2002, the exhibition “blindekuh, the Expo in the Dark” took place in Murten. In addition to Jürg Spielmann and Stefan Zappa, the blind doctor Jürg Flück was also one of the authors. In 2005, blindekuh opened in Basel.
Entry in the Duden
Since 2011, the term “Dunkelrestaurant” (dark restaurant) has been officially listed in the Duden dictionary. That’s what we call raising awareness!
Annual reports
Foundation Charter
25 years of blindekuh
Links: Associations
Swiss Federation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
The Swiss Federation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBV), which is run by its members, is the largest self-help organization for blind and visually impaired people in Switzerland. For blindekuh, it is the most important partner in the field of blindness and has supported blindekuh with significant contributions since its opening. On its website, the SBV provides comprehensive information about its numerous activities.
Swiss National Association for the Blind
The Swiss National Association for the Blind (SNAB/SZB) is the national umbrella organization for the visually impaired in Switzerland. Founded in 1903, it offers direct services. It is committed to ensuring that visually impaired, blind, deafblind, and hearing-impaired people can determine their own lives according to their possibilities and shape them with their own responsibility. The SZB also supported blindekuh with financial contributions.
Lauftreff Association
The Lauftreff association has been committed to running training for visually impaired and blind people for years. In a weekly training session, we introduce beginners and returnees to running through a gentle jogging hour. The training sessions start from SBH or the Blindenheim.
THE CHARTER
Together with Radio X, we are committed to equal professional opportunities for people with disabilities.
Basel Tourism
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