Project Title:  The Peabody Essex Art Museum Digital Signage

Museum/ Institution: Peabody-Essex Art Museum, Salem, MA

Museum Category:  Digital Signage 

Program Created:  2009 

Program URL (if available):  http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/DNNArticleMaster/DNNArticleView/tabid/78/ArticleId/1085/Peabody-Essex-Art-Museum.aspx 

Project Image(s) and/or Video:

 

Photo: Visitors' Desk at PEM with high res 42" plasma screen showing latest info about exhibits.  

http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/DNNArticleMaster/DNNArticleView/tabid/78/ArticleId/1085/Peabody-Essex-Art-Museum.aspx

Media Source(s)/Credits(s):

http://www.scala.com/pdfs/Museum-Peabody.pdf

http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/DNNArticleMaster/DNNArticleView/tabid/78/ArticleId/1085/Peabody-Essex-Art-Museum.aspx

Program Description: (150-250 words)

Cutting edge technology comes to the oldest continuously operating museum in America with an electronic signage system that's the fastest visual messaging tool in the world..  The Peabody-Essex now informs their visitors digitally of new exhibits and announcements with a 42" plasma screen hung above the ticket counter (see photo).  The museum uses Scala's InfoChannel, a "networked solution" that runs 24 hours a day and can be updated remotely from the museum's control room.  All museum screens on the system can be controlled by InfoChannel Network Manager 3 and updated instantly or later by InfoChannel Designer 3.  InfoChannel operates by using Extron CAT5 transmitters and receivers to transmit high-resolution images over standard CAT5 cable. The museum had the foresight to add infrastructure throughout the galleries so that additional displays could be added to the network, such as a 60" plasma display panel for showing videos with a theatre sound system.  The Peabody's Idea Studio, used for temporary exhibits, also contains flat panel monitors for future showings. 

Firsthand or secondary review/critique: (150-250 words) 

The idea of not having to use paper signage is appealing for many reasons, the two most important being convenience and the ability to update information easily from a central location.  Updates can be instantaneous or delayed, depending on how they're programmed.  InfoChannel Design 3 allows for creative work to be done as well, and I'm banking on this becoming a valuable offshoot that can offset the initial investment.  When I do a cost/benefit analysis of this new technology, I wonder if it's really worth it.  It will take years to pay itself off, so I'm hoping that using the system in unforeseen creative ways will increase its usefulness. Theoretically, the attention-grabbing signage should alleviate the necessity to answer the same old questions if people pay attention, but more importantly, it will serve to inform patrons of things that they really wanted to see, but didn't know about when they walked through the doors.  In case of building evacuation, the ubiquitous monitors should do a good job of notifying visitors to exit, assuming the electricity is still running.

Technologies incorporated:

Special Extron CAT5 transmitters and receivers and CAT5 cable; high resolution plasma panels/screens, digital monitors, an incredible control room filled with electronic equipment that I've seen in a photo (sorry, couldn't get it to reproduce off of Scala's website).

Internally or externally produced:

Externally produced by Scala, Inc.

Entry Contributor and Date:  Margot Millard  3/5/11

Related projects:  The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, Aquaria Aquarium, Indianapolis Museum of Art