COLUMBUS, Ohio — The color blind community is often a community that is overlooked and underserved.

But thanks to the COSI museum and these EnChroma color blind glasses, science just became a lot more accessible for everyone.

“It’s just, like, so much richer. Yeah, everything just seems dull without them,” said EnChroma color blind glasses participant, William McGrath.

For the first time in his life, 29-year-old William McGrath is able to differentiate colors. As he looks through these glasses at the Center for Science and Industry in Columbus, he says the experience is overwhelming, but in a good way.

“I knew my version of stuff, but I had to re-learn what colors even are,” McGrath said. 

The glasses are the result of a partnership between COSI and the glasses company EnChroma. Normally these types of glasses can be very expensive, but COSI now has 12 pairs that any visitors can use for free.

“Science is for everyone and this is just another piece to the puzzle of truly making science accessible. And anybody who walks through the door can fully experience the exhibit,” said the manager of Special Education Experiences & Strategies at COSI, Katherine Davis. 

Their arrival comes as the museum welcomes the traveling exhibit “Nature of Color” from the Museum of Natural History in New York. McGrath was among seven colorblind individuals who were the first to test out the glasses Wednesday morning. He came with his mother and girlfriend, who are both glad he’s finally able to experience colors he’s been missing out on.

“It’s emotional to have him see colors that we have seen all of our lives. We’ve tried to tell him about them and then he would describe to us what he saw and we knew he was missing out on a lot,” said William’s mother, Miriam McGrath. 

It’s an experience McGrath never thought he would get, and he’s grateful that COSI is thinking of people like him.

“It feels really inclusive and I’ve never really felt that before,” McGrath said.