Storyteller – World War One: Love and Sorrow – A hybrid exhibition mobile experience

Paper
Timothy Hart, Museums Victoria, Australia, Jonny Brownbill, Museum Victoria, Australia

Published paper: Storyteller – World War One: Love and Sorrow: A hybrid exhibition mobile experience

August 2014 marked one hundred years since the outbreak of World War I, a highly significant watershed. Melbourne, as temporary national capital, was the centre of Australian wartime operations, and thousands of Victorians lost their lives or were damaged by the conflict. We created an integrated mobile experience that offered visitors a complimentary layer of content in addition to what is physically available throughout the gallery and museum. The mobile experience included off-site modes with content that visitors could engage with before and after a visit to the museum. When using the app, visitors selected one of eight characters to frame their journey throughout the exhibition.

Utilising beacon technology as triggers (over thirty), the app delivered relevant content to visitors' mobile devices based on their proximity to a specific gallery zone and the chosen characters. This presentation explores the development of the app and its integrated role in the overall exhibition experience. This is the first time that Museum Victoria has relied on mobile technology to such an extent; this is our first truly integrated app/exhibition experience. We worked with Art Processors to develop a unique app and experience; the exhibition opened on August 30, 2014.

Bibliography:
WWI: Love & Sorrow exhibition website
http://loveandsorrow.com/
Art Processors
Based in Melbourne Australia, the founders of Art Processors invented the first mobile interpretive solution designed to replace wall labels and traditional signage. Originally developed for the Museum of Old and New Art, Mona, in Tasmania, the technology allows visitors to seamlessly engage with rich content relevant to nearby items of interest.
http://artprocessors.net/
ENSO Platform
Enso Platform by Art Processors is an integrated technology suite designed for creating world-class mobile experiences at museums, cultural institutions and tourist sites.
http://artprocessors.net/platform/
beekn blog by Doug Thompson
http://beekn.net/guide-to-ibeacons/, http://beekn.net/guide-to-ibeacons/ accessed September 2014
Larsson, Marina, (2009). “Shattered Anzacs: Living with the Scars of War”, UNSW Press.