The Netherlands - An impressive new permanent exhibition inside Drents Museum has been brought to life by Ata Tech with a comprehensive audiovisual package from Pharos Architectural Controls and Genelec.
The exhibition comprises 15 rooms that create a labyrinth of interactive storytelling, revitalising the northeastern province of Drenthe in the Netherlands. Visitors experience an array of interactive adventures, from a mammoth hunt to a farmer’s wedding. The exhibit also features the world’s oldest-known boat, the 12,000-year-old Pesse canoe, discovered near the museum in the 1950s.
Advanced technologies from Pharos and Genelec were utilised to create the interactive soundscapes and projections that also enable guests to participate in games such as spear throwing and canoeing. A Pharos Designer LPC (Lighting Playback Controller) created the interface to handle the complex lighting and sound requirements for the exhibition, which includes a full universe of DMX-patched lighting fixtures, as well as control of other AV devices.
Pharos Cloud allowed for remote monitoring, management and adjustment of the multiple systems required to create a seamless, immersive visitor experience. The LPC’s show-control capabilities were integrated with Genelec speakers to create the single-controller system, making start-up, shutdown and maintenance of the installation simpler and more effective.
The additional flexibility provided by Pharos Cloud enables both Ata Tech and the team at the museum to respond quickly to any programming changes or new requirements that arise, without the need for physical intervention. This not only ensures optimal operation of all systems, but does so in a way that is user-friendly, allowing museum staff to easily manage the various systems through an intuitive interface.
The challenge in the Labyrinthia project was implementing a soundscape throughout the museum while ensuring the audio synchronised seamlessly with the content in each room. Additionally, it needed to allow museum hosts and tour guides to easily mute the sound in each exhibition space during guided tours. This was achieved using the Genelec system, which enables guides to manage the audio effortlessly via a phone or iPad.
A monitoring system was also installed, allowing Ata Tech to remotely check the functionality of the audio system. The system can be monitored globally via Pharos Cloud, enhancing maintenance efficiency and reliability.
Tom Aarts from Ata Tech says: “The feedback from the client and from visitors alike has been fantastic and we are thrilled to see the exhibitions in action; entertaining, engaging and educating guests that visit the museum. The choice of Pharos and its integration with Genelec allows the technologies at the Drents Museum to be combined in a flexible and efficient way, contributing to a dynamic and immersive experience for the visitors.”
Bas Hoksbergen, business development director for Pharos, adds: “The seamless integration between the Pharos and Genelec systems has created something very special at Drents Museum, and demonstrates perfectly the continued versatility of our controllers.”
