BlogExhibit Design Concepts and the Guilty Party

We presented the design of an interactive exhibit at a unique event.

Gestural interface exhibit showing how mills changed the historical landscape of Woonsocket, RI

This multi-touch gestural interface exhibit uses the Blackstone River as a metaphor for change; visitors learn about how the mills changed the historical landscape of Woonsocket, RI. The interface allows multiple users to access a series of maps tapping into video interviews and deeper content depending on the visitor’s interest.

In a world with Mail Chimp and Constant Contact, with their API, and CRM strategies, it was nice to have an in-person fundraising event. The Museum of Work and Culture demonstrated this concept recently with the Murder in the Mill Mystery. Themed as a 1920s whodunit, guests wore their age jazz finery. The men were in wingtip collars, the women in sequins and tiaras, it was a sparkling event to promote the new Mills of Woonsocket exhibit.

This event was more than just a party for two reasons. First, the actors playing the roles of murderers and victims were performing an improvised script based on the Sentinelle Affair, a French nationalist movement that took place in Woonsocket from 1923 to 1929. One actor put the Rhode Island Historical Society, sponsors of the event, in the spotlight by playing a member of the Society mixed up in the affair. Secondly, we presented the design concept right before they announced the guilty party.

Ed Malouf of Content Design presnting a gestural interface exhibit at the Museum of Work and Culture, featured in The Call, Woonsocket, RI newspaper

Anne Conway, Director of the Museum of Work and Culture, featured in The Call, Woonsocket, RI newspaper

It was a success, after the presentation, one member of the audience, a mill owner, offered a substantial contribution to the project. The audience was quite jolly, never before have I conducted a video presentation in such a festive atmosphere!

Carol Lieb and Ed Malouf participating at the Murder Mystery at the Museum of Work and Culture, image by Judith Potter Photography

Judith Potter Photography captured the guests in their madcap finery. This was an evening, and a presentation that we will never forget, all of the sponsors were there and gave use valuable input about the development of this compelling computer based interactive experience

Gestural interface exhibit showing the historical landscape of Woonsocket, 1870 map from the Atlas of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Beers, 1870 Gestural interface exhibit hightlighting photography by Lewis Hine, and an interview with Irene Carpenter, at the Museum of Work and Culture, Woonsocket, RI