Is your museum in need of an upgrade? While your museum may tell the stories of historical events, visitors want to engage with this information in a modern way. Luckily, current technology offers various new ways for museums to reach and engage with their audiences. Check out our guide below to learn how museums are changing, the role of technology in museums and how you can modernize your museum. 

Contents:

• Why You Should Modernize Your Museum
• How to Modernize Your Museum
• How Museums Can Thrive Today
• Start Modernizing With a Museum LED Wall
• Modernize Your Museum With Refresh LED

Why You Should Modernize Your Museum

Museums are valued by the community, with 97% of Americans agreeing museums are educational assets and 89% of Americans believing museums benefit their community economically. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, museum attendance and revenue took a huge hit. Unfortunately, these negative effects have continued to impact museums, with the American Alliance of Museums reporting in 2022 that museums are still experiencing only 62% of their pre-pandemic attendance. 

Museums now need to work even harder to draw in visitors and remind them of the value and fun of visiting a museum. Modernizing your museum is an excellent way to attract new visitors and encourage them to keep coming back for more. 

Upgrading your museum with technology and immersive experiences appeals to the younger generation. Additionally, technology can make a museum more accessible and inclusive. Museums that can accommodate people of all abilities open themselves up to a wider variety of visitors. 

Luckily, appealing to younger generations and improving accessibility can also produce a great return on investment. Implementing technology, of course, requires some initial investment, but once it's in place, it's easy — and inexpensive — to update this technology into something new. 

For example, you can easily change what photos or messages are displayed on a screen to match your current exhibit or special event. No more printing out posters, banners or signs for each new change. Plus, visitors will feel compelled to come back and see what new content or immersive experience you have displayed. 

Without modernization, your museum may be passed by for other museums that do offer these technological components. Keep your museum fun, relevant and engaging by embracing digital technology in museums. 

How to Modernize Your Museum

We know museums are changing, but exactly how do you modernize a museum? It comes down to embracing and incorporating technology. Technology lets you can keep your museum up to date with current information and updates, develop immersive and interactive designs, and increase accessibility. Take a closer look at how you can modernize a museum below.

Embrace Technology

Thanks to technology, the way we consume and engage with content has changed. Static images and signs are no longer enough on their own. Museums need to implement technology such as panoramic displays, holograms, responsive lighting, smartphone integration, LED walls, touch screens and more. 

With technology, your exhibits become more engaging and immersive. Technology also allows you to update information easily. Quickly change out a screen's display to show the new names of inductees to stay current, or periodically change out the video displays to keep visitors coming back to see what new content you have to offer.

Interactive museum technology is another fantastic option. Incorporate touch screens for visitors to use and click through to learn more about the specific topics that interest them. For family-oriented museums, you can even consider adding games or challenges to these screens to make the lessons more interactive. 

Display Current Information

Every day new history is being made, so one of the best ways to keep your museum modern and relevant is to keep the information in your museum current. For museums like a hall of fame, sports museum and science center, it may be easier to see how to implement this new information. Highlight new hall of fame inductees, share new science findings or update sports stats and team information.

For other museum types, like natural history, it may be more challenging to implement new information, but it can be done. Help kids conceptualize older concepts by comparing them to things they see in the world today. Use current information and examples to show visitors how much has changed over the years, decades or even centuries. 

Develop Comprehensive Designs

Work with your building's architecture to create an immersive, comprehensive design that makes just walking through your museum an amazing experience. Create unique designs for each exhibit or tell a story throughout the whole building. Plain walls and empty spaces can make your museum feel outdated or cold. Stay modern by adding new and exciting design elements. Really upgrade your space by incorporating technology into your new design. 

Increase Accessibility and Inclusivity

While design and interactive elements are fun ways to modernize a museum, it's essential to also remember practical upgrades that can help people with disabilities enjoy the space as well. Use captioning on videos for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and provide audio descriptions for people with limited vision. Remember to also use ADA-compliant signage throughout your museum. Making your museum accessible with these simple upgrades helps visitors of all types enjoy their experience. 

How Museums Can Thrive Today

Museums honor history, but they are not a thing of the past. Museums are still relevant and valued in our society today, so long as they make an effort to stay current with technological advancements and present information in a way today's population prefers. In other words, museum guests are looking for interactive elements that allow them to learn and engage with the material in a way they are used to — through technology. 

Use screens, smartphone integration, lighting and more to bring your museum to life. Some of the best ways to use immersive technology in your museum are:

• Immersion exhibits: Don't just tell your visitors dinosaurs existed — show them what it was like to live during this time period through immersive technology. Use videos, sound effects and even gusts of wind to make this a full experience. Brainstorm ways to make your museum and its topics immersive for your guests. 
• Technology-based exhibits: Use videos, slide shows and other technological displays to help guide visitors through their learning experience. Some visitors prefer watching or listening to something as opposed to reading a display card. You can also use touch screens to let visitors physically interact with the material and learn more. 
• Kids programs: Museums are wonderful places for kids to learn and explore new ideas, so it's important to cater to their wants and needs. Fun sounds, visual elements and interactive opportunities will help keep kids' attention and get them engaged in the material. 

Start Modernizing With a Museum LED Wall

Bring modernity to your museum with an LED wall. Bring your visitors engaging videos, graphics and content in an easy and high-quality way through LED walls from Refresh LED. LED walls are available for small, medium and large spaces. Enjoy the easy-to-use display panels to bring your content to life in a way that will resonate with your guests.

LED walls are available in the following options:

• 4K LED: Give your visitors the best image possible with a 4K LED display. With bold resolution, high color quality and sharp details, you can beautifully and professionally share information with your visitors. 
• Curved LED: Curved LED screens are ideal for larger spaces. The curved screen shape allows viewers to take in the whole image without the outer visuals becoming distorted.
• Custom LED: Whether you have a uniquely shaped area or a specific design in mind, custom LED wall panels are able to bring your vision to life. With ultimate control over your screen's display features and design, you and your visitors are sure to love this new museum addition.
• LED posters: Why print out posters for each new event when you can use a LED poster? These transferable posters are easy to move around to various locations, so you can display your content where it matters most. These LED posters are also extremely easy to use and allow you to quickly and effectively communicate with your visitors. One day this poster can be a welcome sign, another, it can offer museum directions — the possibilities are endless.

Modernize Your Museum With Refresh LED

Are you ready to modernize your museum with high-quality products from Refresh LED? Our team will be with you every step of the way, from design to installation. Our experts will work with you to find the perfect design and develop a plan that works with your timeline and budget. See what our stunning LED walls can do for your museum and request a free quote today.