Immersive Experiences for Museums to Consider
A museum’s ultimate purpose strives towards creating an environment for diverse and accessible learning. Unfortunately, for many people, the idea of a museum remains sterile with little room for excitement and connection. The progressions we’ve seen in technology are allowing us to create more immersive experiences, giving museum-goers the ability to participate in their learning instead of being subjected to it. Was there a time during your schooling when you went on an exciting field trip to a farm, or maybe you remember a cool science experiment? The surprise, delight, and empathy you might’ve felt had an impact, allowing you to recall it in greater detail than your basic day in math class. Emotions not only play a key role in learning, some studies say it’s essential, and one of the best ways to include emotions in your museum experience is through immersion. We’re going to touch on various types of immersive experiences you can include in your museum so you can create more learning opportunities for your patrons.
Immersive Museum Experiences Examples
- Planetarium immersive experiences.
Many planetariums offer audio and visual experiences showcasing what our solar systems look like, simulating a moon landing, or going in-depth about what life would be like on other planets. You can teach patrons more about stars, the earth, and the universe by letting them see for themselves in the most accessible way possible. Some planetariums offer yoga and other interactive experiences as well.
- Video/visual immersive experiences.
IMAX theaters have become a big part of many museums. You can watch nature and science up close with its 3D abilities, captivating audiences. Another newer trend is the creation of immersive art exhibits. Van Gogh’s paintings were brought to life in a French exhibit featuring a walk-through sensory experience, along with other famous painters and artists as well. The Infinity Mirrors exhibit by Yayoi Kusama is another great example of an immersive art experience.
- A slice-of-life immersive experience.
Creating dioramas featuring an artist’s life can give patrons something to relate to. Breaking down the wall between the artist and the viewer by giving them visual knowledge of what an artist’s life is like outside of art can be a powerful teaching tool. Retrospective exhibits based on an artist’s life can be powerful as well, creating art to represent the artist for people to interact with.
- Hands-on creation immersive experiences.
Hands-on experiences are one of the best ways to create a lasting impact on patrons. It goes against what most think about museums, which is that you’re not allowed to touch anything. Communal art projects, ceramics classes, and portrait drawing can all be fun hands-on experiences for children and adults alike. The Toledo Museum of Art, for example, has a glass blowing class that allows you to create a variety of pieces of your choosing. You can bring home whatever you make! The Museum of Ice Cream offers online ice cream making classes as well.
- Other museum immersive experiences.
Don’t limit yourself to the examples we’ve listed. Science museums have various exhibits that feature interesting ways to show how our bodies work, chemical reactions, and what’s happening in the world around us. Zoos feature interesting exhibits as well, showcasing how much power it takes a bear to swim or how fast a cheetah runs. At the International Spy Museum in Washington DC, you can go through interrogation techniques and take on undercover missions to test your skills.
How Acme Can Help Plan and Ticket Your Next Immersive Experience
Acme doesn’t just have an easy-to-integrate ticketing software, you can easily integrate your marketing and CRM tools as well. With flexibility, customization, and excellent membership management abilities, you can curate and execute your immersive experiences to match the needs of your community. No matter the size or velocity of your nonprofit, Acme can help create the full package membership management and ticketing application you need to help your nonprofit succeed. If you’re interested in learning more, check out our testimonials or book a demo with us today.