How do I create an accessible audio guide?
In this way, you enable barrier-free access to your content and create inclusive delivery.
Around 48% of people have not visited a museum in the last 12 months(click here for the latest study). But how can museums overcome this challenge? One approach is to use audio mediation formats to make museum visits more interactive and exciting. How can we use audio formats to make museum visits an unforgettable experience? What opportunities does acoustic mediation offer us and what challenges do we have to overcome?
We were able to discuss these questions at a panel discussion on audio experiences in museums. The discussion took place with Elisabeth Sprenger (artist) and Lucas Hagin (Audio-Cult) and was moderated by Laura Falletta (curator of Schauplatz Brunngasse).
Based on the audio installation "A World in Fragments" by Elisabeth Sprenger, which was specially designed for Schauplatz Brunngasse, we discuss how audible content - from audio guides and sound installations to innovative podcasts - can contribute to experiencing art and culture in a new and fascinating way.
At Schauplatz Brunngasse, the focus is on personal mediation. The curator still guides visitors through the exhibition herself. As this cannot be maintained permanently due to resource constraints, the audio guide is used as a complementary tool. We recorded the audio guide with the president of the association - authentic, personal and approachable(click here for the audio guide).
We talked about new technical possibilities. From artificial intelligence in museums to augmented reality and beyond. Audio-Cult, for example, can be used to create an audio guide with AI. Simply enter a text and audio is automatically generated using artificial intelligence. It is also possible to use the voice of the speaker for different languages. This makes it possible to copy and translate an original recording into a foreign language.
But which approach is right for my museum? It is worth reflecting on the specific challenges and context. Other questions were:
1️⃣ Cultural participation 🎧
Audio guides make art and culture accessible to everyone by conveying information in an entertaining and understandable way.
2️⃣ Storytelling 📖
Audio guides should not only provide information, but also tell captivating stories that create a deeper connection between visitors and exhibits.
3️⃣ Technology 🌍
Developments in artificial intelligence enable multilingual and personalized audio experiences that facilitate access to historical and cultural content. Whether AR gadgets or trends around AI: it must not just be a gadget. The added value for visitors must always be at the forefront.
4️⃣ Subjectivity and personality 🎨
Audio experiences designed by artists offer new, poetic perspectives and enrich the museum experience with creative stories and immersive sound installations.
5️⃣ Inclusion 💡
Audio and media guides improve accessibility by giving visitors with different needs access to information and multi-sensory experiences .
Audio guides offer a sensual and intuitive entry point for a wide audience. Whether tours for children, adults or experts: access can be created with different levels of depth.
It was exciting to hear how curators and artists look at audio guides. Their personal perspective enriches the mediation and enables new approaches. During the event, insights and experiences on the topic of audio and museums were not only shared and further developed in the expert panel. The exchange was also enriched by an inspiring discussion with the audience (from the fields of archaeology and monument preservation, art history and architecture).
Many thanks to Laura Falletta (curator) and Thomas Gamma (museum director) and the team at Schauplatz Brunngasse for organizing the event. We look forward to working together to expand outreach and develop new formats to inspire the public with the history of Jewish culture in Zurich.
Some context about the location: A Jewish family lived in this house at Brunngasse 8 in Zurich's Old Town around 1330: Minne with her two sons Moses ben Menachem and Mordechai ben Menachem. The small museum "Schauplatz Brunngasse" aims to enable the public to get to know the home with its magnificent paintings and its Jewish inhabitants.
The audio guide from Audio-Cult offers an entry point to discover the exciting history.
Source: Institute for Museum Research (Kathrin Grotz, Prof. Dr. Patricia Rahemipour)
How are great audio experiences created?
