Medieval Europe - Power and Splendour. Meld transformed the Medieval Europe exhibit with "The Well," an immersive interactive installation that bridged past and present through digital experience storytelling.
UX, Motion, Development
Ottawa
Canadian Museum of History
2018
Envisioning Immersion: The Canadian Museum of History's Leap into Digital Sculpture
The Canadian Museum of History's exhibit, Medieval Europe - Power and Splendour, originally from the British Museum, set the stage for an unprecedented endeavour. The CMH sought to pioneer an interactive sculpture, a first of its kind for CMH. This led to partnering with Meld, known for our innovation in museum exhibit work; blending historical narratives with cutting-edge technology. The goal was clear: to create an engaging, user-centric installation that would illuminate the era’s most iconic figures and their stories, inviting visitors to delve deeper into the medieval world in a surprising way.
The Interactive Well: A Central Gathering Place
The Canadian Museum of History wanted to create a well as an interface and centrepiece for the Medieval Europe exhibit, symbolizing the historical significance of wells as communal hubs. Meld was tasked with creating a realistic, interactive water interface for the well, allowing visitors to explore the tales of Europe's monarchs and knights through a fluid, responsive interface that blended seamlessly with the immersive environment.
Crafting the Experience: Meld's Integration of Design and Technology
Meld Media designed and developed the user experience (UX), user interface (UI), and control systems for The Well interface and projections.
To achieve the realistic reactive water effect, we developed a custom water shader in the Unity Game Engine and transformed the user interface into a captivating, water-based interactive canvas. By seamlessly integrating this innovative design with the exhibit’s storytelling portrayal of historical figures, we ensured that every touch brought medieval narratives to life in a manner that was not just informative, but viscerally satisfying and engaging for visitors.
Unprecedented installation
The Medieval Europe exhibit held at the Canadian Museum of History was a significant event as it hosted the #medievalexhibit from the user named @Britishmuseum for its exclusive North American appearance. This collaboration set a new precedent at the CMH as it dedicated an unprecedented amount of space to an interactive installation. Curator Bianca Genreau “The team worked so well together,” says Gendreau. “It was a very respectful and stimulating experience for all of us, and we’re very happy with the results.” Judging by the overwhelmingly positive feedback, so, too, are the Museum’s visitors.
“Working with Ken and the team at Meld has been an absolute pleasure. They are reliable, highly skilled and dedicated to true client happiness. Their ability to balance the technical build, while keeping user experience top of mind is effective in driving a superior level of confidence in the final product. They care deeply about your success and you can always count on them, no matter the challenge you put in front of them.”
