Project Title: Indianapolis Museum of Art Digital Signage
Museum/ Institution: Indianapolis Museum of Art
Media Category: Electronic/digital signage
Program Created: Exact date unknown. Completed as part of the museum's 2005-2006 expansion. Program submitted for consideration at the Digital Signage Expo 2008(see http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/DNNArticleMaster/DNNArticleView/tabid/78/ArticleId/1066/Indianapolis-Museum-of-Art.aspx).
Program URL (if available): Indianapolis Museum of Art web site: www.ima-art.org
Project Image(s) and/or Video:
Media Source(s)/Credit(s): © 2007 Tom Johnson, Digital AV Archives
Program Description: (150-250 words)
As part of its' 2005-2006 $220 million expansion, the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) built a new Glass Rotunda entrance to serve as a welcoming space for visitors. Museum staff recognized that the increased size and openness of this area required a clearly defined central hub where visitors could orient themselves, access important museum information, and plan their desired destinations within the museum. The Indianapolis Museum of Art decided that a digital signage system would help attract viewers to the information desk upon entering the museum, and hired Digital AV to produce one for them using Scala Inc. technology.
Three independent 32" LCD monitors were installed high up on the wall behind the information desk using a custom mount for flexible positioning. These monitors are used to display information such as museum ticket prices, events and exhibitions, locations, and marketing content, including museum membership advertisements. The content displayed in constant rotation on these monitors is managed using Scala InfoChannel software on custom Equus computers in a remote control room. Content can be created using Scala's InfoChannel Designer software and is managed using the InfoChannel Network Manager. It can be changed by periodic or exact schedule, and museum staff can control whether the updated or new content appears immediately or at a later time. The content can be transmitted over the IMA LAN to any screen in the system located anywhere in the museum.
Firsthand or secondary review/critique: (150-250 words)
One obvious question involved in installing digital displays in a glass rotunda is how to minimize glare and maximize visibility of the screens in a space with a high amount of ambient light. It is difficult to determine how successful the Scala, Inc. team were at this task without seeing the screens in person; however, the flexible positioning of the screens on the mount and the sharpness and size of the high-resolution displays likely help enhance and maintain visibility. The use of light text against a deeper color background (see the far right monitor in the above picture) is another good strategy that the museum appears to be employing for improving the visibility and attractiveness of the content.
The digital transmission of museum information will help the Indianapolis Museum of Art more quickly and easily update content, without the need to continually use resources and space to compile, post, and change static information. This digital signage appears to have created a streamlined, professional information access point which orients visitors and provides them with a variety of information without the clutter of different posters, notices, images, and videos competing for space. The network infrastructure provided by Scala, Inc. also provides the museum with the opportunity to expand the dissemination of this information and other content to other areas of the museum in the future by installing and connecting more monitors to the InfoChannel system. One type of content that could be useful throughout the museum is digital wayfinding maps, showing the visitor's location and the location of exhibits, restrooms, and other points of interest.
Technologies incorporated:
Digital information displays on independent 32" high-resolution LCD monitors, Scala InfoChannel software, and custom Equus computers
Internally or externally produced:
Externally produced by Digital AV with in-house administration capabilities via Scala InfoChannel software in the museum’s control room.
Entry Contributor and Date: Caitlin Markey, 3/03/2011
Related projects:
Peabody-Essex Art Museum Digital Signage:
http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/DNNArticleMaster/DNNArticleView/tabid/78/ArticleId/1085/Peabody-Essex-Art-Museum.aspx. See Peabody-Essex Art Museum for a review of this project.
Comments (2)
Scott Sayre said
at 8:21 pm on Mar 23, 2011
While installing monitors over the information desk is common in many museums, front line staff often find this uncomfortable. This begs the question. is that important or are the signs actually doing them a service by attracting visitors to the desk?
Caitlin Markey said
at 10:44 am on Mar 30, 2011
It seems that in the case of the IMA, architecture was a key factor influencing the perceived need of digital signage above the front desk. The expansion of the area around the information desk created concerns that the desk might appear more relatively obscure in the new space, and something extra would be needed to draw the visitors in towards the desk. An additional benefit of digital signage, besides simply drawing more visitors near the desk initially, could be how it provides visitors with information to captures their attention if they have to wait in line to access the desk. This could make their wait time seem shorter, help answer some of their questions before they even speak to staff behind the front desk, and improve their overall impression of the museum's customer service.
If front line staff's discomfort with the digital signs' placement really hindered their ability to perform their jobs, this could be a problem. If this is the case, and the desk is already adequately visible and attractive to visitors without the digital screens, then placing digital signage above the desk may not be appropriate.
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