In touch with the Ateneum - A new multimedia program that brings the Ateneum Art Museum to your eyes, ears and fingertips
Riikka Haapalainen, Finnish National Gallery, Finland
http://www.fng.fi

Demonstration: Demonstrations 2

The In Touch with the Ateneum multimedia program, accessible at two touch screen stations, is the latest addition to the multimedia services of the Ateneum Art Museum available to the general public. The program takes the visitor, with the aid of texts and images, through the history and art of the Ateneum.

The starting point for the In Touch with the Ateneum program was the desire to create a multimedia work which would offer different insights into the visual arts and which could be used by as many museum visitors as possible, regardless of their skills, backgrounds and computer literacy.

Following its contents and moving about within the program is as easy and logical as possible -without losing a sense of adventure. In The Building, for example, you can explore the sculptures on the buildings facade or read about the history of the museum. The books in the Story Corner tell stories about the works, artists and myths involved in the museum's art collections. Collections takes you to the extensive picture archives where you can read up on artworks and artists of the Ateneum collections. This section also explains such matters as why touching the artworks in museums is forbidden. In

Exhibition Hall you can be a museum director for a moment and build your dream exhibition of your favourite works. The wise and all-seeing Goddess Hera will help you use the program.

To increase the user-friendliness of the program, the content is conveyed through various senses. For example, the visually-impaired will find the sound facility helpful: the texts of the program can be listened to with ear phones. Other sounds support and enliven the visual features and create the right atmosphere for story-telling. Special attention has been paid in the graphic design to keeping the program's visual appearance calm and clear. To ensure easy use for everyone, the elements stand well out from the background, a sufficiently large and discernible text type has been used, and the program proceeds

logically. The texts have been written observing the principles of easy-to-read language.

The multimedia program is produced by the Finnish National Gallery Educational Department (present KEHYS Art Museum Development Department). It was written by Riikka Haapalainen and Marjatta Levanto. The graphic design is by Pekka Piippo and sound design by Janne Jankeri. The programming is by T:mi Orposiili. Sari Salovaara served as accessibility consultant to the entire group.

In Touch with the Ateneum is in Finnish, Swedish and English.