AV technology helps to understand the history of immigration at the Ellis Island Museum

Last May, The Ellis Island immigration museum inaugurated a new section called ‘Pobleing Las Américas’, A set of galleries that immerse the visitor in an interactive and dynamic world thanks to AV technology and in whose project Electrosonic has participated.

Between 1892 y 1954, Ellis Island was the entrance door of immigration that reached the United States. Here was a main building where all the procedures and controls were carried out, Another that served as a bedroom, A hospital to take care of people who arrived ill and a port. In 1990 This area was remodeled and the immigration museum was created (Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration) which is part of the monument of the Statue of Liberty.

This museum has two theaters and more than 30 galleries where objects and photographs are exhibited that refer to the more than 12 Millions immigrants who arrived on the American coast. The visitor is helped during his visit through a complex audiovisual infrastructure in whose installation he has participated Electrosonic.

Twenty years after his opening, The Ellis Island Immigration Museum decided to expand its facilities and open a new section called ‘Pobleing Las Américas’. A project that was interrupted by the effects produced by Hurricane Sandy, that flooded the museum's basement and destroyed the technological infrastructure.

In its new opening in 2013, The museum became a meeting place where visitors enjoy an exhibition where interactivity and audiovisual solutions prevail, With video recorders of immigrants who tell their stories; But it has not been until May 2015 When these facilities have been completely operational and the exhibition ‘Populando las Américas’ has been inaugurated.

Electrosonic has participated in this project by providing AV technology and taking care of the installation of all teams, of the screens and the audio systems of the interactive kiosks, as well as fiber optics and wiring in general.

The statue of Liberty-Cellis Island Foundation provided the funds to carry out this remodeling, while Esi design He was in charge of designing and supervising the exhibition, and Michael Schneider operated as a technical director. All video and audio presentations have been produced and signed by the History Channel.

Esi Design has created an immersive environment that emotionally hooks visitors, Not only in the epic history of American immigration, but also in personal stories, challenges and opportunities facing these people. By combining dynamic video with interactive facilities, Ambient sound and interpretive graphics, The exhibitions invite visitors to personally experience the trip of immigrants at different times, listen to their stories and witness what has sweated in the different stages of immigrants' trip.

Both the Pre-Celis Island section (Journeys: The Peopling of America – 1550 a 1890), that was inaugurated in 2011, Like the new post-rallis island gallery (The Journey: New Eras of Immigration – 1954 Until the current era) They have been designed by ESI to give visitors an idea of ​​the experience of immigrants in each period of time.

A dynamic and interactive story

Visitors are received by a soundtrack that greets them in nine languages ​​and collects fragments of immigrants from different parts of the world. The audio is provided in stereo by an AM-4 digital Audio Machine system of Alcorn McBride.

When the visitor enters the museum with the first thing that is located it is with the gallery called Journey: New Eras of Immigration where it is highlighted, through dynamic means and interactive elements, Post -war migratory movements and the change in demographic trends that have occurred for decades.

This section offers large -scale video projections and interactive screens and kiosks are available where visitors can, Between a variety of videos, Share your trips and immigrants.

En el Threads of Migration, Visitors can draw the travel routes of their ancestors by geographical coordinates, marked from the place of origin of the immigrant and the place where their descendants live today. These data are entered in touch screens Elo Touch Solutions of 17 inches and the routes are visualized in a monitor Samsung of 65 inches.

Later, In the entrance zone, is the World Migration Globe, an acrylic balloon of 1,5 meters where the high definition video is projected inside the sphere to illustrate migration patterns in the United States and other countries in the world. Along with three dynamic LCD panels that flank the globe, This centerpiece of the exhibition represents the new museum approach.

In the videos an introductory exhibition on the history of immigration in the United States from the 18th century is offered to the present. The objective is to use an interactive timeline so that visitors are introduced into the chronological context and can better understand what is exhibited in the museum.

For the staging of this exhibition two projectors are used, that are housed inside the ‘globe’, fiber extensors Fits and a system AMX which allows you to control and manage the screens individually.

At the entrance, the American Flag of Face has also been located, An interactive installation that has a mosaic of portraits of the different generations of immigrants. You can select a photo and expand it or searches by names. Besides, It is possible to enter photos that will be added to this large format mosaic.

Interactive kiosks

Another part of the exposure is the Citizenship Gallery gallery where interactive kiosks have been used that integrate screens in Samsung portrait format of 23 inches and players of BrightSign. For its part, CitizenShip narratives has four kiosks configured with vertical screens of 46 inches of Samsung, Teams that are used to reproduce stories of new Americans who talk about how they reached these coasts in recent years.

In the Population MAP gallery, visitors are asked to introduce their to check the density of these ethnic groups in the United States. Here an interactive kiosk endowed with a monitor Sharp of 70 inches and an elo touch touch screen 22 inches.

Projection and audio

In the El Citizenship Oath gallery, a rear projection system supplied by electrosonic shows a loop video has been installed. The system used is a short shooting projector Panasonic PT-EW640U with fixed focus lens that has been mounted vertically with a mirror rebound. The content is driven by a half Brightsign Player.

Electrosonic has provided the exhibition audio systems among which are speakers of Brave, Radius e Innovox. Besides, Each exhibition has an inductive loop amplifier for people with hearing problems.

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