Museums continue turning to audiovisual technology to enhance customers’ experiences and meet their expectations.
The digital age has brought on an unprecedented era of information, entertainment, media — and competition. Physical institutions like museums, casinos, even concert venues have felt pressured to elevate their customers’ experience everywhere possible. Technology, of course, has been a big part of that.
From dedicated social media-friendly sets to large-scale video walls and projection mapping, the old museum experience continues to evolve, allowing for more immersive digital experiences that align with today’s patrons to become commonplace — even expected.
And it makes sense. More than 80% of Americans own a smartphone, which can access unfathomable libraries of information. Why would they leave the convenience of home, or their phones, to learn from somewhere other than their couch?
It’s because people still place a high value on in-person experiences. By some estimates, there are roughly 850 million museum visits annually in the U.S., accounting for millions of instructional hours for students and adults alike.
Museums, aquariums, and others can and will continue to attract people to their doors — but know, expectations will continue to rise. In order to stay competitive and drive ticket sales, they will need to understand their audiences better, improve their experiences, and implement a suitable technical solution to meet their demands.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how some have leveraged technology to create immersive experiences.
Creating an Immersive Experience Goes Beyond ‘Wow Factor’
While leaving a good impression is important, going overboard can detract from the goal: positive, immersive experiences that leave people inspired. Too much technology that distracts or disrupts customers or visitors could leave them some confused, or even annoyed.
When it comes to creating an immersive experience, it’s important to set a goal and clearly define what must be achieved. Without a clear understanding, organizations could invest in a system that doesn’t help their cause.
The San Francisco Museum of Art outfitted its space with practical solutions that would honor donors and supporters, enable ticket sales, and help people do what they came to: Learn more about art.
The project uses a mix of digital signage for wayfinding, virtual kiosks for sales, and video walls that make a statement, showcasing high resolution content that grabs visitors’ attention.
The display technology is certainly impressive, but it’s not overwhelming — and it shouldn’t be. Each display is mindfully placed in the museum to not obstruct or take away from the artwork, but add value where it can.
A similar story is true for the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, LA, and Memory Lane Museum Complex in Kubinka, Russia.
Both museums sought to honor veterans and tell accurate stories of the frontlines by using large scale video walls that create a captivating way to show war-time scenes and documentary-style content. With a subject as nuanced and expansive as World War II, the technology lends itself to visitors by putting information into a consumable way through interactivity, audio and video systems.
Part of the reason these organizations have improved with the addition of video walls or displays, light projection or audio, isn’t simply because of the technology itself; it’s how it was implemented.
In the case of the museums, it was less about sales and more about enabling education and consumption of the environment. People are attracted to museums for all sorts of reasons. Some want to learn and soak in the displays, while others seek out a more interactive, even entertaining experience.
More and more, museums have grown wise to what their patrons seek and those that succeed have obliged those requests.
Define What Immersive Looks Like for You
Creating an immersive experience looks different depending on what the goal is — but there are similarities in how the technology can function. Video walls, audio systems, and more can help museums and retailers create a long-lasting experience for visitors, one that leaves them in awe (and telling their friends and family).
However, picking which direction to go should start with a goal. At CommLink, that’s where we start. If you’re exploring new ways to elevate the customer experience at a museum or similar space, learn more about Our Services on our website.
**Photo courtesy of Planar.