Legacies of Sound: Past, Present and Future of Museums' Soundscapes

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Institute of Acoustics, we are celebrating the intersection between Acoustics, Soundscapes and Heritage. “Legacies of Sound: Past, Present and Future of Museum Soundscapes” is a two-part event to reimagine the soundscape of museums.

While museums are repositories of the past, their role in shaping society’s understanding of history continues to evolve. Through a series of compelling talks by acousticians, museum practitioners, access and equity staff and advocates, the event will look at how we can re-shape the acoustic environment of museums to make them relevant for new generations of visitors.

Part 1 – An introduction to Acoustics and Soundscapes of Museums, hosted by the IOA North East and Yorkshire Branch, sponsored by Apex Acoustics

26th of June, 2pm-6pm, The Great North Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne

A Brief History of Museums and their Soundscapes - Marco Romeo Pitone, Jarrow Hall & Rebecca Romeo Pitone, Apex Acoustics

From personal collections to public institutions, whether conceived to archiving memories from the past or oddities from the present, to displaying status and power, to support ideological and political propaganda or to communicating and educating different audiences, museums have always stimulated a sense of curiosity and wonder in their visitors. Ultimately, their shape, design and architecture fostered the different visions and aims which characterised them through history. We will explore how these developments and transformations have a direct influence on the museum’s soundscape.

Protecting Museums and Galleries from Vibration - Tomasz Galikowski, Bickerdike Allen Partners LLP & Catherine Higgitt, The National Gallery

Museum and galleries in the UK and around the world are diversifying their use of collections and buildings to generate revenue and engage wider audiences. The existing estates are refurbished or expanded, objects travel across the planet between institutions and the heritage spaces are used for various commercial events.

Vibration from the construction work, transportation or music associated with these activities can pose risks to objects such as fractures, paint loss, or objects moving off surfaces. Monitoring every object in diverse collections is impractical, so institutions must maintain vibration exposure within limits to protect collections.

A unique and careful approach is needed to protect artwork and sensitive objects. This talk will be based on a rich experience of the speakers gained during work with some of the most renowned heritage institutions. It will discuss risks posed by vibration to museum and gallery collections, review mitigation, criteria and present case studies.

In Their Own Words - Lucy Dale, Royal Museums Greenwich

Over the past five years, curators at Royal Museums Greenwich have been collecting oral histories of those whose lives have been marked by the seas and oceans. We have spoken to conflict veterans, migrants, shipwreck survivors, RNLI crewmembers and a host of men and women who made their careers in the Merchant Navy. In this talk, Lucy Dale (Curator of Maritime History) will introduce you to some of these stories, talk about the opportunities and challenges that oral history presents and share never-heard-before clips from the interviews themselves.

Acoustic Issues in Highly Attended Museums: A Dynamical Model - Dario D'Orazio, University of Bologna

High-attendance exhibitions are often uncomfortable due to too loud ambient noise due to talkers. Human noise due to visitors is treated as a non-stationary phenomenon related to the flux of visitors/talkers and the ambient noise level. A predictive model is proposed. Markov-chain theory is proposed to study the temporal behavior of occupancy, and generative algorithms are used to analyze the spatial distribution of visitors. The model has been validated by employing measurements in a highly-attended museum in Florence. Results also show that a maximum number of visitors and a maximum visit time should be established to maintain proper acoustic comfort.

Sonic Inclusion: Sound and Social Justice in Museums - Will Renel, Touretteshero CIC

For many deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent people, sound, and attitudes towards sound, can dictate whether a museum is inclusive or exclusive. Yet the multiplicity of ways that sonic thinking and practice intersects with issues of accessibility and social equity in museums remains under researched in the fields of Inclusive Design and Sound Studies and narrowly represented in access legislation.

This presentation will question how sound and hearing are typically considered in the design and management of museums and galleries. The presentation will offer a critical narrative of sound and social in/exclusion, highlighting how the contemporary museum has come to prioritise ‘the auditory normate’ – an idealised sonic citizen who can conform the auditory mould of museum objects, systems and services.

By unapologetically foregrounding the experiences of deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people, the presentation promotes a move towards sonically inclusive design - a position in which to think critically about the societal repercussions of design that privileges a normative ear, body and mind.

Part 2 – Acoustic and Sound Design for Inclusion, Wellbeing and Community in Museums – Hosted by City, University of London, sponsored by Charcoalblue, 28th June, 1pm-6pm

As part of the AHRC funded project ‘Place-making Through Sound: Designing for Inclusivity and Wellbeing’ (2023-24), hosted by theatre and acoustics consultancy Charcoalblue, this half-day workshop will explore current practice around sound as an agent of inclusion and wellbeing, addressing a range of issues including neuro-inclusion, cultural belonging, and soundscape approaches to space and exhibition design.

Register via this link.