The gaming model is centered on an approach that has goals, resources, and challenges for the audience during their experience. This approach is successful in part because it provides immersion and offers one solution for the goal of lifelong learning. Though the term refers to gaming, it is important to note that the role of games in human development is a vital one throughout life, not simply adolescence; thus this approach will facilitate multi-generational appeal. Further, the gaming model incorporates individual as well as multi-person interaction, encouraging community and family participation.

The goal as suggested to us, is to remove the very walls of the museum – to blur the line between the museum’s central space and the city as the museum. This necessitates removing another boundary – that of museum curator and the audience as contributors. The gaming model is an excellent approach for these goals, as it is based on immersion and participation, helping the audience to become part of the experience as explorers, learners, and creators.

Audience as curators: 

• The museum’s central space itself will give meaning to and unify diverse opinions and perspectives.
• A contributor not only adds depth to the experience for everyone, but will take more away due to a sense of ownership.
• Multiple paths will provide accessibility to everyone in the audience. These paths include writing, drawing, audio and video submissions.
• Contributions come in the form of individual pieces as well as being ‘curators’ in the larger sense. This allows people to organize and create exhibits not only for themselves and their group/family, but also for future visitors.

City as museum: 

• It is critical to break down the idea that knowledge is locked inside the museum building.
• Providing the same knowledge about the city, _in_ the city, as is provided within the museum’s central space, will help remove perceived boundaries.
• Mobile technology and dynamic online content will facilitate a persistent experience after leaving the central space.
• The gaming model will provide objectives for which exploration and interaction with the city on the museum’s terms will be rewarded.

Concepts for the Museum’s Central Space

Worcester Diners Area, Worcester Industry Area, Changing Themed Area

Interactive touch table with timeline that includes highlighted and specialized content specific to the area diners and industry area; Presents surrounding and supporting industry and people related to the history of the diners and Worcester industry; Large wall mounted touch screens with map and interactive story-mode which highlights user created content from within and without the central space; Allows users to choose the experience based on interest of the individual, family, or group – content includes editing artifacts with provided creative tools, creating a unique Worcester timeline to share, viewing other visitor created timelines, viewing the main timeline by selecting pieces of interest, contributing content such as video/audio/sketches, or playing one of three games meant to increase interest in the dedicated areas for younger audiences while also encouraging participation to continue after leaving the central space via online access. Interactive projected overhead space which allows visitors to interact with their feet and body movements, thus controlling elements such as walking through the Worcester neighborhood at various times throughout history witnessing and interacting with the progress made.

• Contributor station allows visitors to contribute in real-time as individuals, as a family, or as a group with pieces such as audio, video, or drawing
• Interactive timeline allows you to select pieces about which you are interested in learning more
• Others can see the information chosen on the timeline since it is a large space, but they do not have to view, as they have their own area of experience
• Viewer interest in each piece of the timeline will be indicated [numbers, color, transparency]
• Visitors are encouraged to create their own exhibit by selecting pieces from the enormous central timeline to design a smaller [set maximum size] timeline about Worcester

• Visitor timeline creations will be shared with others for a set amount of time [minimum is set, but maximum based on views though probably not reviews]
• The augmented reality displays will be incorporated throughout the central space and new exhibit wing so that regardless of location, the experience is legitimized and contribution encouraged [Each central space exhibit will be tagged with an rfid tag to facilitate the augmented reality that may not be possible with traditional GPS indoors.]
• Key displays within the new wing will rely on users working together to ‘unlock’ information about the exhibit. Only if x number of people are together participating in an exhibit, will the extended information be accessible – creating a multi-user experience.
• As with the interactive timeline, visitors may also develop their own preferred design of the museum by choosing pieces throughout to add to guided tour. They tag the pieces using the rfid’s and smart devices throughout the museum and can add to the content then and there by working with the objects in a virtual setting using provided tools to manipulate the pieces. Future visitors can then choose to take one of these shared tours and view the new material for each exhibit on the tour if they wish and if it has been created by the tour originators who are acting as docents.

Concepts for the Extended Museum

Online Presence: The Museum’s website and mobile application [smart phones and devices can access the website directly or can use the Museum’s mobile application specifically for the same content] will provide more than just updates via calendars and visitor information. The Museum’s virtual space should include content which encourage community and socialization – an interactive space that becomes a weekly or daily part of the audience’s life. Creating the connection between the exhibits in the Museum’s central space and ‘exhibits’ throughout the city as well as facilitating the role of the audience as contributors will develop this social aspect and recurring visitation.

Augmented Reality: Museums provide information about objects that help the audience learn new information as well as encouraging deeper exploration into the subject. To allow the city to be an extension of the Museum’s central space, augmented reality will be used to provide information about objects throughout the city. This information will not be limited to traditional curator content, but also information submitted by the audience at large. The interface itself provides a unique and interesting approach to formatting the information to the audience: augmented reality encourages a person to explore in order to discover the information for herself in non-passive manner. Because the information is not visible until targeted and triggered, it promotes a sense of adventure and activity.

GPS: Smart phones and devices are able to use global positioning systems in order to provide location data to the user. This is bi-directional for the scope of a dynamic museum blending the experiences of the central space and the outer world as well as the experiences of the audience and contributor. Using a GPS enabled device, people can discover exhibits inside and outside of the central space on their own. Then, using cameras, video capture, audio capture, and writing through the use of email, blogs, and message boards, citizens will be able to provide content for the exhibits, both around the city and within the central space.

Game Model: The gaming model will provide a structure to the extended museum experience. Exploring the city-museum will be an objective, with various locations/exhibits as goals and the city environment providing natural obstacles and resources. The sandbox approach in gaming has proven extremely successful in maintaining interest [replayability if you will] and encouraging interaction and learning rather than passive experience. The sandbox game model allows on a large map/area for play with few limits on actions permitted by the player. In this sense, the city-museum adventure will offer an extensive environment while also permitting people to explore, discover, learn, and contribute – a plethora of interactions. Being encouraged not only to find locations and exhibits, but also to create their own levels of the ‘game’ to share with other ‘players’ is a unique aspect of the game model that extends the life of the model for all users by providing dynamic content and two unique modes of ‘play’.

 

• Choose from various themed explorations of exhibits throughout the city
• Learn more about exhibits both inside the central space and the city space through augmented reality on smart devices
• Compare your experience of exhibits
• Contribute photos of internal and external exhibits [seasonal, times of day, festivities, big changes, various perspectives]
• Contribute videos for internal and external exhibits [memories, first impressions, cultural revelations, questions, thoughts]
• Contribute audio for internal and external exhibits
• Contribute writing about internal and external exhibits [facts, figures, past, present, future, personal, family, group, and questioning]
• Create a list of exhibits for others to visit – you are the level designer
• Share your ‘level’ through email, Facebook, Twitter, and/or online Museum space

• A select set of kiosks throughout the city for contribution and experience provide incentive for participation and ongoing interest
• A kiosk in Worcester’s sister city will encourage global exploration and provide unique perspectives – and Worcester’s history is part of world history