Project Title: The Memory Pool  

Museum/ Institution: Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust

 Program Created: 2010     

Media Category: Interactive surface

Tags: Interactive surfaces, 2015 Class, Digital Media in the Museum  

Program URL (if available):  http://www.potiondesign.com/project/memorypool/

Project Image(s) and/or Video

Media Source(s)/Credit(s):

Images and video from Potion Design's website: http://www.potiondesign.com/project/memorypool/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vq4sZe7mzE

Program Description: (150-250 words)

The Memory Pool is an enlightening and educational look into the lives of the Holocaust victims and how Nazi propaganda instigated the slaughtering of innocents. Through this interactive surface, visitors are able to select which photographs they want to view from an exhibit that resembles a "pool" of water. Each photograph contains an image and story behind the ordinary lives of a Jewish individual, or another minority group, who died in the Holocaust. By looking into the lives of these people, the visitor can begin to relate and identify with them, expressing a deep understanding that they were not much different from an ordinary person in today’s society. The pictures depict these people “playing sports, going to school, celebrating weddings, and socializing with friends”, as stated in PotionDesigns website. 

The touchscreen functions allow visitors to touch, pull up, and move the photos presented to them on the table. The photographs slowly sink into the "pool" of water, but visitors can easily pull them back up. By dragging a photograph to the edge of the table, visitors are able to obtain information and the life stories about the people in the picture. Once that photograph is at the visitors disposal, they have the option of viewing similar photos within a collection. For instance, they may want to view more photos of the original family they chose, view photos relating to that country of origin, or simply choose a photo with "similar themes." (Ozler, 2011).

Ozler, Levent. (May 30, 2011). Potion Designs Three Interactive Experiences for LA Museum of the Holocaust. Retrieved from http://www.dexigner.com/news/22713

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

This is a great tool to educate visitors on the subject of the Holocaust, but it also helps the younger audiences understand how one individuals’ hatred for a group of people can generate the near extermination of a race. I found the interactive table to be an ingenious way to educate visitors on the lives of the victims in the Holocaust. It is easy to understand, simple to navigate, and allows for multi-person use. Up to fourteen visitors can engage on the touchscreen table at once, establishing it as the center piece for the exhibit. This large table holds a “commanding presence” in the room, and allows visitors of all ages to simply walk up and tap on the screen to read the "intimate stories" about the victims (Ozler, 2011). The touch screen acts just like a smartphone, allowing the user to zoom in and out of the text and making it easier to read and view the pictures.

The Memory Pool is the main exhibit; however, there are two additional features showcased for the visitors’ experience. The visitor is given a Spatial Audio Guide that one article stated has Nazi songs, as well as prayers, poems, and diary readings made by those in the concentration camps (Rothstein, 2011). The 18 Camps is another interactive touchscreen that allows visitors to discover the darkest moments of the Holocaust and view pictures of the concentration camps. Even though the New York Times did not have any negative reviews on the Memory Pool itself, they did acknowledge that the coinciding features were unorganized and that some of the audio recordings should be removed because they did not flow well with the rest of the content in the room.   

Ozler, Levent. (May 30, 2011). Potion Designs Three Interactive Experiences for LA Museum of the Holocaust. Retrieved from http://www.dexigner.com/news/22713

Rothstein, Edward. (March 23, 2011). Bearing Witness Beyond the Witnesses. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/arts/design/holocaust-museum-in-los-angeles-makes-hard-choices-review.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Technologies incorporated:

 Touch-activated sensors, interactive display screen, multi-person use on a single device, and responsive audio and video animation

 Internally or externally produced:

 Internally developed by the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. Externally designed and developed by Potion Designs' Concept and Visual Development Team, Software Development Team, and their Graphic & Interactive Design Team. This project was also possible through Variate Labs' Interactive Strategy Consultant, Central Europe Center for Research and Documentation's Image/Content Database, The Tech Consultants' A/V Consulting & Installation, and Amuneal's Table Panel Fabrication. 

Entry Contributor and Date:

 Victoria Johnston 2/4/2015

Related projects: 

Potion also worked with the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust to create the Spatial Audio Guides, as well as the 18 Camps Interactive Room, that helped to highlight the Memory Pool Exhibit.