Digital Wayfinding System Sets New Standard

The four-company collaboration offers an enhanced visitor experience by seamlessly blending digital design into the historic and timeless environment of the Smithsonian.

The museum, originally designed to accommodate 500,000 visitors per year, is now hosting more than seven million visitors per year.

Therefore the new digital signage system extends wayfinding beyond directional guidance, to education and detailed information on events and exhibits within the National Museum of Natural History.

"We are excited with the results of the project and believe we have created a new standard for using digital signage as a wayfinding tool," said Bryan Meszaros, Chief Business Development Officer of OpenEye.

The kiosks FITCH designed encourage the sophisticated digital signage system to blend in, not overwhelm visitors to the museum.

Integrating the displays into the environment was a challenge due to the age and design of the museum.

"The kiosk locations are at crucial points in the customer journey," comments David Hogrefe for FITCH.

"Our design is a seamless bridge between the permanent physicality of the building and the dynamic, ever-changing digital content.

We also used the kiosks to establish a new visual language representing enhanced wayfinding for the visitor."

"It was a pleasure working with the design team at FITCH," comments Meszaros.

"They have helped to make technology a modern extension of the environment."

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