Bringing the past to life at Moesgaard Museum

"Our partnership with Panasonic has allowed us to design creative, ambitious exhibitions"

Equipment list

Projectors
20 x PT-RZ470
1 x PT-RW430
10 x PT-DZ680
4 x PT-DZ870
2 x PT-RZ670
1 x PT-DX100

Lenses
4 x ET-DLE030
8 x ET-DLE080
3 x ET-DLE085
1 x ET-DLE150
1 x ET-DLE250

Displays
3 x TH-42FLE7ER
17 x TH-55LF6W
1 x TH-65LFE7E
2 x TH70LF50E
1 x TH-80LFC70E

Passion for history
Moesgaard Museum has the archaeological responsibility for the local area around Aarhus and also carries the status of a specialised museum.  This means that the archaeologists at the museum also carry out archaeological research at home and abroad.

It was this passion for history that led the team to choose a different approach to the design and installation of exhibits.

Instead of hiring an external company to oversee the AV installation, this was managed by the internal team. Panasonic’s engineering team was called upon to offer advice on the feasibility of what had been specified.

The result is a museum which reflects the passion of those who work there every day, and a number of requests from other museums and institutions for advice on their redesigns.

Helping put life in to items from the past
When redesigning the Moesgaard Museum the team set out with a vision, to “have a museum where we are able to create an exhibition which we feel will give three generations a shared museum experience.”

The 15,500m2 exhibition building opened to the public on 11th October 2014. Designed by Henning Larsen Architects, it contains archaeological and ethnographic exhibits, a special exhibition room, a student exhibition space, auditorium, meeting and conference rooms, cafe, museum shop and a grassy roof, where visitors can view the sea, the forest and the beautiful landscape surrounding Moesgaard Manor - the former home of the Moesgaard Museum.

Built at a cost of 393 million Danish kroner, the museum brings together the latest in audio visual techniques that inform older visitors and engage younger ones too. In the first month alone, the museum attracted over 50,000 people, more than the previous museum attracted in a full year.

Product breakdown
Panasonic delivered nearly 80 audio-visual products, ranging from the latest in laser light source projectors utilising ultra-short throw lenses, to 80” digital displays capable of capturing the audience’s attention.

Pushing projection performance
Panasonic has a wide range of DLP projectors that fit the museum and exhibition market very well, both in terms of brightness and interchangeable lenses.

The range of lenses used at Moesgaard Museum make it possible to produce installations in demanding environments where the building architecture, content and visitor experience are all critical factors. The DLE-030 ultra-short throw lens was  a key component in making some installations a reality.

Furthermore, the high contrast of the PT-RZ470 LED laser light source projector meant it was possible to successfully project animations on to surfaces that would traditionally be off limits. In this case, animations are designed to 'break through' the largest theatrical canvas in Denmark, which was painted to create an atmospheric backdrop for an Iron Age exhibition, featuring the world's best preserved bog bodies.

Super short throw
The DLE030 lens was a key factor in bringing some installations to life. By mounting the ultra-short-throw lenses onto Panasonic's high brightness DLP™ projectors, you can shorten the projection distance by approximately 60 % compared to regular short throw lenses.

Dynamic displays
A full range of Panasonic displays are used across the museum for way-finding, video content and digital signage. The museum has also used a touch screen overlay in order to increase interactivity on a number of exhibits – often combining the touch screen with dynamic HD video content.

Reduced running costs
An important consideration for the museum when choosing to implement laser projection within the museum was the overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). As the projectors are running many hours each day, not replacing lamp technology reduces maintenance costs and any disruption caused - a critical consideration in museum environments.

Ancient times seen through a modern lens
“The ambition behind the new building and the new exhibitions is to tell stories for man about man, and to create cultural-historical exhibitions which are experienced through the use of the senses, rather than understood by the mind.”

Pauline Asingh, Curator and Head of New Exhibitions 

Stepping in to history
At Moesgaard Museum, the traditional exhibition concept is challenged by going beyond the objects normally exhibited in large numbers at historical museums, and presenting an animated picture of the people who handled these objects day in and day out.

Using 'scenographic environments' and an audio account in your ear, visitors are invited to follow in the footsteps of Vikings
along the narrow smoke-filled alleys of Aros, Viking Age Aarhus.

Johan Ahrenfeldt, Exhibition Technology Manager said, "We wanted to integrate the AV design in to the overall creative process, and to design ambitious exhibitions. This is when you appreciate and rely on the type of partnership we have with Panasonic, to make sure that the final result is worthy of the level of investment."

"The DLE-030 lens was a key factor in making some of the installations come true, enabling us to stick to our ambitions regarding architecture and visitor experience. It allowed us to be flexible and to break new ground in terms of this type of museum."