Mapping Sonic Practices in Museum Exhibitions – An Overview

Abstract

AbstractMuseums are increasingly incorporating sound in their exhibitions both as an exhibit and an interpretative medium. This paper traces the relationship between sound and museums, and then focuses on the integration of sound into the exhibition space. It is noted that, although the functional aspects related to the use of sound in museum exhibitions have been scrutinised, the exploration of sound as an interpretive medium is rather overlooked. To fill in this gap, the paper discusses sonic practices in contemporary museums and suggests a new classifying scheme for studying sound in museums. The proposed classification focuses on the three main roles accorded to sound in the exhibition environment: informative, interpretive, immersive. The various examples discussed provide ample evidence of the potential of sound in revitalising the museum experience.KeywordsMuseum sound designSensory museologyInterpretationImmersion