Art Processors help WA Museum Boola Bardip tell ‘many stories’

Experiential design consultancy Art Processors has advised how it has assisted the new WA Museum Boola Bardip in creating a database-integrated site-wide digital platform and mobile guide during difficult times.

Reopened in November last year after a $400 million redevelopment, the attraction includes nine permanent galleries, life-long learning studios, retail, café and public spaces.

With the name Boola Bardip translating to “many stories” in the Whadjuk Noongar language, the Museum views itself as “a place to share Western Australia’s many stories. Our people, our places and our role in the world” and the role First Peoples play in the region’s shared cultural heritage.

Explaining the importance of digital learning at the attraction, WA Museum Boola Bardip Site Manager, Helen Simondson stated “getting the digital platform right was an essential part of the concept for the new Museum.

“The focus was on layering content through multiple perspectives and stories across the eight main galleries.”

The platform needed to be flexible yet accommodate a huge amount of multimedia content, as well as being user-friendly.

To achieve thus, the Museum engaged Art Processors to design and build the new site-wide digital platform.

Art Processors Producer, Jamie Houge explained “it was complex on a few different levels, including content production, software, plus user experience.

“All three of those components were quite involved, and COVID-19 threw up some extra hurdles.”

Since they were unable to travel to the site, Melbourne-based Art Processors team had to find another solution. They worked closely with key Museum staff and hired local contractors for both on-the-ground technical and creative work.

With Houge explaining that “one of the unique aspects of the work is that it’s location-aware” the consultancy installed Bluetooth beacons throughout the galleries and external spaces to create a digital blueprint of those spaces.

As visitors move through the space, beacons trigger content and deliver it to the app, enriching the tour experience.

Another feature that Houge points out is that that the technology “enables the Museum to collect data, insights and analytics on what visitors have been paying particular attention to, such as how much time they spend listening to pieces of audio and how long they spend in specific galleries, and the exhibits that people might not be so interested in.”

The collaborative team worked on 80 major exhibits included in audio tours on the iOS and Android Gogo app. Many hero exhibits like Otto the Blue Whale Skeleton, the GhostNet Crocodile sculpture, and Batavia shipwreck also feature special elements.

Previously, Art Processors worked with its long-term partner, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart to help it reopen safely in the wake of the global pandemic.