30.11.2021

Digital storytelling for the Enigma Cipher Centre in Poznań, Poland.

How do you begin to tell the story of the events that changed the course of the Second World War and paved the way for the digital world we live in?

How do you begin to tell the story of the events that changed the course of the Second World War and paved the way for the digital world we live in? New Amsterdam – a Polish AV Integrator helping public institutions, museum and science centres in the process of digital transformation, was given the chance to answer this question by creating and implementing the narrative exhibition concept for the Enigma Cipher Centre in Poznań, Poland.

The Centre is exists to tell the story of the development of cryptology from antiquity to the 20th century as well as the story of the breaking of the Enigma code – an encryption machine developed by the Nazi Germany army. It commemorates the great success of three brilliant mathematicians – Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki and Henryk Zygalski, who managed to break the code and sharing their work with the rest of the allies, greatly aid in the effort to shorten the war by a few years. However, the goal is not only to bring back the war story, but also to popularise code breaking, encryption techniques and mathematics. Fully interactive and engaging, the exhibition is made up by numerous quizzes and puzzles.

New Amsterdam always aims to create narrative museums by designing a unique experience for visitors, adapting modern technologies - interactive solutions, VR / AR technologies, mixed reality with respectively balanced storytelling - but still bearing in mind that technology is only a helping tool to bring out emotions and emphasize the message. To achieve this goal at the Enigma Cipher Centre they made use of a total of almost 50 iiyama monitors - TF2234MC-B6X, TF3238MSC B2AG, LH5510HSHB-B1 and TF5538UHSC-B2AG.

All monitors are mounted in elegant furniture carriers utilizing custom made fastening systems, allowing trouble free operation also by disabled people. Animations and film material presented on the touch monitors is synchronized with the opening of the entrance gates to the exhibition, and the launch of the content and visiting paths within the audio guide system.