On November 30th, Mert and I visited the Technisches Museum Wien. There were several exhibitions, and luckily, we found some that fit our thesis topics. I was especially interested in how they designed the different exhibitions with different themes using interactive screens and installations. Even though some of them looked old, they were still inspiring!
One artwork that stood out to me was from the Musical Instruments exhibition. It showcased creativity, craftsmanship, experimentation, tradition, and the unique sounds of different instruments. The exhibit had a microphone hanging from the ceiling that captured the sound of the instruments and turned it into visuals. This was a great example of real-time data visualization, which really caught my attention.
Another inspiring part was the Media Worlds exhibition, which explored the history of media and its impact on society. It covered everything from early communication tools like the post and telegraph to modern inventions like computers and the internet. I had the chance to closely examine how interfaces and ways of interaction have evolved over time. There were also some interactive games, which I really enjoyed.
Also, the Energiewende exhibition and some others had very good examples of data visualization, even though they were not interactive. These examples showed how complex data could be made easier to understand through simple, effective visual representations. It was a reminder of how powerful data visualization is in communicating ideas and information clearly and effectively.
What I Learned
The visit to the Technisches Museum Wien gave me some inspos into interactive design and data visualization. I thought again how combining sound and visuals can create an engaging, real-time experience, and how effective data visualization can make complex information more accessible. The exhibitions helped me to have an idea about how I can apply these concepts to my thesis.
Conclusion
Overall, the museum visit was very fun with Mert! We spent almost 4 hour there, it was tiring yet so interesting!! Luckily, we got inspired about our future thesis!
On November 30th, I visited the Technisches Museum Wien with Bensu and explored its various exhibitions. Surprisingly, many of the displays were connected to digital sustainability. Here are some of the impressions from our visit.
Medien.Welten
The Medien.Welten exhibition traces the development of media since the early modern age, featuring communication and storage media like postal services, printing, photography, film, radio, computers, and the internet. It illustrates how early communication systems evolved into a global telecommunications network and how media document and influence life, including the misuse of media power in dictatorships.
The evolution of media was fascinating to observe, but one station particularly stood out for me: the media station. It offered a variety of hands-on experiences and opportunities to learn. One station focused on fake news, featuring a quiz where participants had to distinguish between fake news and facts. This was incredibly relevant, as it highlighted the growing significance of fake news and its dangers to society and democracy.
Another station demonstrated the power of big data. Visitors answered a series of questions, and the computer attempted to determine the user’s gender based on the responses. While the result for me was incorrect, it was eye-opening to see how much can be inferred from basic data inputs.
A third station explored the risks of artificial intelligence (AI) in autonomous vehicles. It presented a dilemma where the AI had to decide whom to sacrifice in an unavoidable accident: an elderly couple walking on the sidewalk, a child running into the street, or a cyclist riding along the road. This raised critical ethical questions about whether AI should be allowed to make such decisions independently.
Klima. Wissen. Handeln.
The Klima. Wissen. Handeln! exhibition, spanning 600 m², presents key facts about the climate crisis alongside vivid examples and multimedia stations. It explains the impacts of human activities, such as shrinking glaciers and environmental destruction, while offering actionable solutions to mitigate climate change.
Two highlights of this exhibition were an interactive map and a climate challenge wheel. The 3D map, projected onto the floor, displayed dynamic animations and data, which visitors could interact with. The visuals were stunning, and the interactive element made it even more engaging. I’ll admit, I focused more on the animations than the actual information!
The climate challenge wheel, however, was an excellent call to action. After spinning the wheel, visitors drew a card with a specific challenge to complete. The postcard-sized cards were visually appealing and easy to take home, encouraging visitors to reflect on climate issues even after leaving the exhibition.
Energiewende
The Energiewende exhibition highlights the role of energy in modern society and the pressing need for a sustainable energy transition to address the climate crisis. Across five levels, it examines the impacts of fossil fuels, innovative technologies, and solutions for a carbon-neutral future. Interactive stations allow visitors to experiment with measures and understand their consequences. The exhibition concludes with “Good News from the Future,” a hopeful vision of a sustainable world achieved through decisive action today.
For me, Energiewende was the most impactful exhibition. I was thrilled to see digital sustainability explicitly addressed. Many stations presented aspects of digital sustainability and other energy transition themes through beautifully designed infographics and interactive experiences.
One memorable station featured an interactive data visualization tool with simple sliders that allowed visitors to explore what actions need to be taken, and to what extent, to meet the Paris Agreement targets. Another station showed how long one would need to pedal a bike to generate enough energy to send a single photo via email. This exhibit was particularly striking, as it effectively demonstrated the significant energy consumption of digital activities and services with minimal effort.
Learnings
Interactive Education: Engaging tools like the interactive map and data visualization sliders show how interactive design can simplify complex topics, fostering awareness and understanding.
Gamified Learning: Playful elements like the climate challenge wheel illustrate how gamification motivates sustainable behavior, extending impact beyond the exhibition itself.
Ethics in Digital Systems: The stations on big data and AI underscore the importance of integrating ethical considerations and energy-conscious practices into digital system design.
