Two weeks ago, Philadelphia’s African American Museum opened its doors to the public for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. The Museum has been preparing for the debut of their new collection, The Art of Design: The Life of Anna Russell Jones since last year, before the pandemic hit. Now, with crowds returning, they wanted to make sure every possible measure had been taken for their triumphant return – and that included updating some existing material.
The centerpiece of the Museum’s permanent collection, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776-1876, is an illustrated journey through one hundred years of black history. Video diaries, illustrative displays, and fully-voiced narration tell the stories of Philadelphia’s African American icons in their own words. The exhibit is as poignant as it is eye-opening and has served to wow visitors since its introduction in 2010. However, many of the existing systems were difficult or impossible to use in a COVID-safe manner. The museum wanted to make the entirety of the experience hands-free, a tall order for an exhibit that normally encourages plenty of user interaction.
Having installed the original flat panel technology ten years before, Visual Sound was happy to help with the transition. We designed custom foot pedals for each station that correspond with existing buttons, enabling full control of each station’s features. Now, attendees can experience the full effect of these powerful stories, while also staying safe.
Visit now to see both Audacious Freeedom and Anna Russell Jones: The Art of Design, which is on display until September 12.
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