Project Title:  "What's On" Digital Signs

Museum/ Institution: Science Museum of London 

Program Created: Unkown 

Media Category: Electric Signage and Wayfinding

Program URL (if available):  http://www.icodesign.com/work/projects/science_museum_digital_signage

Project Image(s) and/or Video

Media Source(s)/Credit(s):

ICO Designs

Program Description: (150-250 words)

The copy on ICO Designs' website has a detailed explanation of the program.  It states "After winning an initial pitch, ico were appointed by the Science Museum to design and develop a permanent digital signage system that is displayed on high-definition screens throughout the museum. The resulting system ‘What’s On’ responds to previous visitor feedback that had asked for a more engaging and informative way to navigate the museum.  The idea to develop and implement this system was driven by the simple realisation that the content the museum creates for online use could also be used to communicate within the museum, thereby keeping visitors up to date with other activities during their visit.  Our solution is an elegant and robust front-end display engine, which loads from the museum’s website content management system and shows different information depending on where the screen is located within the building. Content is displayed within a template that allows the functionality to be easily edited by the museum’s in-house team. We also developed a simpler version of the template for showing promotional content on adjacent screens.  The signage has been installed throughout the building on large monitors of different dimensions, in both portrait and landscape formats. Installation gives the Science Museum a totally flexible but automated system that enhances the visitor experience" (ICO Designs Website).

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

The "What's On" program provides an extremely valuable service to visitors in the museum.   The fact that the displays are placed throughout the museum means that visitors no longer need to carry around a map of the museum or other papers that tell visitors of the events.  This could contribute to the beneficial "flow" experience museums should desire of their visitors, as Czikzentmihalyi & Hermanson (1995) describe.  It provides a valuable service to the museum, since it is connected to the website's content management system and is easily editable by museum staff.  The "What's On" program also surely cuts down on printing costs, since museum programming, events, and exhibitions are likely to change on a consistent basis.  In addition, the sleek look and technological functionality of a digital signage system supports the museum's mission of having "awe-inspiring galleries".  

Czikszentmihalyi, Mihaly and Kim Hermanson (1995) “ Intrinsic Motivation in Museums: Why Does One Want to Learn?” Public Institutions for Personal Learning. J. H. Falk and L. D. Dierking (eds.). American Association of Museums: Washington, DC. Consulted December 12, 2009.

Technologies incorporated:

Digital Displays, Website Content Management System.

Internally or externally produced:

Externally Produced

Entry Contributor and Date: 

Max Evjen, March 7, 2012

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