When we think about interactive museums, we see places that aim to engage and entertain visitors. Most museums today are traditional, with static displays that visitors just stroll past or read the literature supplied next to them, if available. Interactive museums include visitors in hands-on activities with the museum’s displays and artifacts. Exhibits and experiences are designed to actively engage visitors, making them interactive, enjoyable, and memorable for everyone.
Some significant aspects of interactive museums include the use of hands-on exhibitions with manipulatives and interactive displays. The manipulatives are simply objects that visitors can touch, move, or manipulate to facilitate further inquiry and, as a result, better understanding. These also include interactive displays that respond to touch, motion, or voice commands from visitors and provide an experience tailored to their preferences.
The majority of interactive displays use digital technology such as touchscreens, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and so on. AR and VR are undoubtedly the most promising technologies in museums for improving visitor interaction. Another important aspect of interactive museums is that they offer multimodal experiences through the use of audio guides, which deliver contextual knowledge within an AR VR museum.
Another sort of multisensory experience is to design interactive soundscapes in museum exhibitions that respond to visitor participation. Some exhibitions can also be built so that viewers can feel textures, temperatures, and other elements in order to comprehend and experience the exhibit’s nature. These experiences help visitors, especially children, learn, understand concepts, and retain instructional content. Many modern libraries offer interactive labs with 3D printing devices, allowing children to experiment and learn through hands-on activities. Interactive activities at historical museums could be constructed around storytelling, role acting, and time travel AR VR museum experiences. Art museum exhibitions also enable children to participate in ongoing interactive art projects, which help visitors develop a better appreciation for art and artists. Such endeavors to make museums more interactive promote collaborative learning and community engagement, reinforcing museums’ value as educational institutions.
Several renowned museums are highly interactive, including the Exploratorium in San Francisco, which is well-known for its hands-on science exhibits. This museum allows all visitors to experiment with physical phenomena and learn from the experience. Other museums with comparable programs include the Science Museum in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and the City Museum in St. Louis. Closer to home, the Amma Memorial Museum and the Kalaignar Memorial Museum in Chennai provide a variety of interactive displays.
When constructing an interactive museum, we must consider a number of factors to ensure its success. First and foremost, all stakeholders must maintain a firm commitment to the customer experience. The end product should be adopted by the community, and their feedback will determine the effectiveness of an interactive museum experience. The team entrusted with developing an interactive museum should be cross-functional, including key decision makers. It is critical that they grasp the methods, limits, and success factors required to design an interactive museum experience.
The first step is to precisely define your objectives and target audience. The objectives should clearly describe both the engagement and instructional aims that the museum hopes to achieve. These goals should serve as the project’s beacon, and adhering to them aids in the achievement of the interactive museum’s objectives. Also, make sure the team understands the target audience’s demographics and interests. The visitor group is the primary stakeholder, and understanding their requirements is critical. Another lesser-known goal is to ensure the audience’s accessibility needs and provide everyone with an equally pleasant experience. Most projects fail to consider the needs of the disabled and visually impaired.
The second step is the topic of concept development. The museum should carefully consider hiring an experienced museum digital solutions consultant or service provider, such as Fusion VR. A collaborative team of museum workers, consultants, engineers, and others work together to design a central theme for the museum as well as other focal areas based on previously agreed-upon objectives. The team should agree on the notion that drives each of the themes and storylines before proceeding with development. Each exhibit’s narrative should contribute to a more unified and pleasant visitor experience. The sequence and layout of exhibitions should be consistent with the overarching museum narrative and easy for visitors to travel.
The next most critical step is to determine the general scope of the exhibit. This comprises the design, sourcing, installation, testing, and commissioning of the exhibit. The scope document should explicitly capture the exact requirements for the exhibit’s functional, aesthetic, and technological components so that a chosen solutions provider or contractor can effectively understand and execute the project. To guarantee that the visitor experience is delivered properly, technical issues such as safety and emergency requirements must be explicitly stated.
Another important component in developing interactive museum exhibitions is the solution provider’s experience. Museum projects differ from traditional engineering projects in that they demand the artistic, technical, and academic talents of a fully cross-functional team to provide an interactive experience. It is worthwhile to visit and experience the projects of a potential museum solutions provider before making a final decision on your interactive museum exhibit.
Creating and curating the content necessitates the collaboration of multiple museum divisions. They must acquire the most accurate and relevant information for the show. This is vital to provide a realistic experience that avoids unnecessary controversy, especially in historical exhibitions. In such circumstances, qualified professionals and academics may be required to review and validate the information. The material must be clear and concise. The user experience lasts only a few minutes, therefore providing the appropriate amount of information is critical.
As the above criteria are considered, the most significant one is the level of engagement required for each exhibit. Touchscreens, AR and VR components, the usage of interactive displays, screens, audio design, and other elements must all be reviewed, chosen, and integrated into the visitor experience design. Each interactive exhibit should allow visitors to take something away from their experience. It could be mementos, selfies, badges, awards, or simply a sense of enormous joy from the experience. The core team in charge of an interactive museum exhibit must carefully evaluate the human issues involved.
Some exhibitions may be undertaken for the first time, necessitating the creation of prototypes and proofs of concept. These must be tested and confirmed to ensure a smooth and seamless user experience for visitors. Each interactive museum exhibit’s social media integration should be considered when designing the exhibit and assigning space in the museum. This component may help museums with their outreach activities, allowing them to attract more people.
Creating an interactive museum exhibit demands a deliberate approach that seeks to balance the varied objectives and demographic needs of the community it serves. Fusion VR, being a pioneer in the development of digital interactive museums and corporate experience centers in India, is well positioned to help museum projects and AR VR experience centers throughout the country. I encourage readers to visit Fusion VR’s dedicated Museum 2.0 website to learn more about it and the great projects we have completed.
