2016 Zamość
The Arsenal Museum of Fortifications and Weaponry in Zamość is a collection of different forms of the art of fortification and militaria, that are unique on a national scale. This uniqueness is enhanced through connection with the architecture and landscape of the Zamość fortress. In a place, so important for the cultural heritage, modern technical solutions, including audiovisual innovations are a must! A design of innovative interactive stands and holographic projections, aiming to get the greatest number of museum visitors interested in the wonderful history of Poland, was our contribution into preservation of the country’s heritage and tradition. The challenge we faced when working on this project was to create a modern, interactive AV system for the three buildings of the Museum of Fortifications and Weaponry in Zamość – the Gunpowder Magazine, the Arsenal and Exhibition Pavilion. We also created an exhibition management system to monitor the operation of all systems across the museum.
In the Gunpowder Magazine, which the first facility on the tour, we created a mapping system on a model of the Zamość Fortress and its surroundings. Three multimedia projectors enliven the model’s colours, creating images of landmark events in the history of Zamość, such as the rise and development of the fortress and the city of Zamość, battles, sieges and fires. The image presentation is accompanied by a number of special effects. We used a sound system and effect lighting complemented by suitably controlled scent and smoke generators to create the right ambience in the space. Stories about the fortress are spun by its co-creator, General Jean-Baptiste Mallet de Grandville, whose figure is displayed by a dedicated multimedia projector above the model.
In the Arsenal building, where an innovative holographic projection system was installed, the visitors can see the three-dimensional spirit of Andrea dell’Aqua, who talks about ancient weapons. In addition, we installed four interactive kiosks and a virtual book on the ground floor of the building. Each of these stands is equipped with its own sound system, which is activated cards visitors receive before the start of the tour. We have equipped the first floor with four stands complete with portable monitors for temporary exhibitions.
In the Exhibition Pavilion, visitors are welcomed by holographic images of ghost of soldiers. Over ten modern monitor stands , including one that forms a part of a reconstructed former trench, are the main attraction in this building. The Pavilion also has several interactive terminals and interactive gaming points. We have set up three projection rooms with state-of-the-art equipment in the hall and created a multi-projection wall with three correlated projectors displaying a 10-metre image.
In all facilities of the museum, we installed an integrated exhibition management system to monitor the multimedia systems. The system automatically turns on and off the entire exhibition, (according to the Museum’s opening times schedule) controls all system devices, lighting and sound system, remotely changes the content of the exhibition and displays statistics for each of the multimedia stands. With the RFiD cards received when purchasing the ticket, visitors can use interactive stands and choose one of four available languages. The cash register system integrated with the exhibition management system makes it possible to book tickets early online.
Nowadays, museum exhibitions increasingly often combine history with modern ways of presenting it. Creating such exhibitions in line with the client’s guidelines requires the use of more and more innovative AV solutions. This is a major challenge that we try to overcome in the best possible way. Our success is exemplified by the Arsenal Museum of Fortifications and Weaponry in Zamość, which, thanks to our contribution, has become the main tourist attraction in the area.