The objective was straightforward: engage a new generation of visitors with The British Museum. The question was — how? If you’re us, you set about bringing ancient Roman and Assyrian artifacts to beating, thrashing life through multidimensional design.
There are few better places for applying multidimensional design, or MDX, than the traditional museum gallery. And there are few galleries more endowed with astounding treasures than those in The British Museum. Aside from the occasional collection rehang or vitrine rebuild, however, a visitor’s experience would not differ from one decade — or century — to the next.
That changed when Journey and exhibition designers Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) reimagined how museumgoers could experience a series of incomparable artifacts: the Vindolanda Tablets in the Roman Britain Galleries and the Lion Hunt Reliefs of Ashurbanipal in the Assyrian Galleries. Here was an opportunity to not only convey the epic sweep of history, but to surface relatable, fascinating aspects of everyday life on the frontlines of ancient empires.
Leveraging our sound, motion and narrative design strategy expertise, we set about translating these artifacts’ stories into captivating immersive experiences.
At a glance, the Lion Hunt gallery evokes an archaeological exhibition in an old museum. Dwell longer, however, and you’re swept up in the thrill and danger of an Assyrian hunt.
The experience charts a story carved in stone more than 2,500 years ago. Spotlights progressively illuminate sections of the relief, while the accompanying thunder of chariot wheels, horses’ hooves tearing across the plain and lions’ growls enhance the immersion.
The story reaches its spellbinding climax through projections of color, light and dust effects — thousands of years after the last lion hunt of Ashurbanipal’s reign.
The Assyrian section ended up being my favorite in the Museum. I thought the video overlay with the Lion Hunt was a great addition. Walking through the entrance with the statues on either side made you feel like you were going into the real city and really added to the experience. I got more out of the story behind the reliefs than anywhere else.
The Vindolanda exhibit, centered on wooden writing slices discovered at a Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall, begins at a large digital display. This feature draws people into the exhibit, guiding them toward a deeper engagement and understanding of the source materials.
Having crafted numerous immersive experiences to enhance learning, we ensured that content satisfied multiple modes and levels of engagement. The initial stories consist of simple anecdotes from Roman letters, accessible even to children.
Working with Journey was an opportunity to bring out the human stories of these objects
At the highest level, the exhibit provides detailed, PhD-level archaeological exposition on the Vindolanda site. This layered approach ensures that the exhibit resonates with the broadest possible audience.
Sound plays a pivotal role in creating layers of immersion across the experience. An installation beckons visitors with outlines of Romans, the shapes and forms of their world, and whispers of their voices. As visitors turn to see the tablets in the beautiful exhibition design and interpretation by RAA, the voice of a Roman wife narrates the earliest example of female handwriting in Britain: a birthday invitation. The longer visitors stay, the more ancient voices they hear: a general, a slave, a soldier, his wife.
Journey and RAA developed these exhibits as part of a pilot project for future museum experiences at The British Museum. But more than mere prototypes, they’re proof of MDX’s power to make the past feel astoundingly, uncannily present.
The projection has significantly increased the attracting and holding power of the displays. We often see visitors filming the projection on their phones, I’ve even observed everyone watching the animation spontaneously applaud at the end.