The museum as soundscape

The museum has maintained an ambivalent relationship with audio and sound sources. On the one hand, traditional museum etiquette calls for visitors to be quiet and mindful of the noise they make, while on the other hand, designed listening experiences are playing an ever-bigger role in exhibitions. The use of sound in museums extends from fully composed sound experiences that create a certain ambience or offer guidance, to making the human voice more audible, to strategies that allow us to perceive, for instance, the specific sound of a city or region. Sound, noise, or silence can also serve as the theme or tool of exhibitions. In this workshop, we want to map the field of acoustic exhibition design and discuss both theoretical and practical issues arising from the use of sound in our work in museums. How do museum spaces function from an acoustic perspective, and what do we have to consider when audible elements are meant to be used? What technological options are available for this? What is the cooperation like between sound designers and curators, and who else should be included in the planning? How can we ensure that traditional sound sources (interviews, film, radio, etc.) can be easily heard and enjoyed with passion, and how does the respective setting guide the listening experience? Together with sound designers, curators, and exhibition producers, we want to discuss best practices for creating listening experiences in museums.