The Biomuseo offers a journey into the history of Panama through different immersive AV experiences

To carry out interactive experiences, implemented in the three new galleries, a complete visualization infrastructure has been installed, composed of more than 20 Led screens. For the management and control of content, there is 23 E4100 encoders and others 23 Visionary Solutions D4100 decoders.

He Biomuseo It is one of the jewels in the crown of Panama. Located in a spectacular building created by architect Frank Gehry, houses a permanent exhibition titled 'Panama: Bridge of Life'.

In eight galleries, designed by Bruce Mau ( founder of the Institute Without Limits), This natural history museum explores the changing impact of Panama's creation three million years ago. The elevation of this natural land bridge from the ocean simultaneously connected North and South America while dividing the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea, allowing land mammals to cross continents while dividing ocean ecosystems forever.

The museum opened its doors in 2014 with five of its eight galleries completed and for the remaining three, which are considerably more complex than the first five, Biomuseo headed to Tellart, a design firm with offices in San Francisco, Amsterdam and Providence.

This was in charge of the design of the interactive elements for these three new spaces: oceans divided (Oceans Divided), The Living Web and Panama is the museum; as well as an immersive experience for the final gallery. Tellart articulated a narrative that completes the history of the museum's biodiversity. An experiential and spatial journey that guides visitors from the depths of the ocean to the rainforest and, finally, into the air, where a bird's eye view of Panama forms a celebration of all its natural and cultural diversity.

Three new spaces

Oceans Divided features two huge aquariums that show visitors the differences in plants and animals between the Pacific and Caribbean ecosystems.; and The Living Web takes them to the rainforest.

In each of these samples, Visitors learn more through a series of high-definition screens, the vast majority of them interactive.

In Panama it is the museum, Visitors walk through an immersive experience that triggers different projections on a large central sculpture based on where they step. This experience is completed with digital kiosks that have been installed around the room and allow direct interaction with the information.. For all these kiosks and information screens, Tellart trusted the firm Visionary Solutions.

Already on the ground floor, visitors enter a compressed, dimly lit space. An immersive soundscape makes you feel like you've just dived into the ocean. Two monumental aquariums flank the gallery on either side, representing the different oceans that were created when Panama rose and divided the waters.

Interactive elements in the space allow visitors to explore the differences between these two oceans and the unique life forms that inhabit them..

As they climb the stairs to the next gallery, ambient sound transitions from the deep murmurs of the ocean to birds and crickets. They find themselves back on land, in a high-ceilinged, light-filled space, surrounded by a giant sculpture of the Panamanian rainforest.

A series of audio and interactive stories scattered throughout the gallery complement the sculpture and bring its hidden stories to life.

The museum adventure culminates in the final gallery. When visitors reach the top of the stairs, They are surprised by a colorful projected floor stretching out in front of them. At the center of it all is an iconic sculpture from Panama.

The visitor has ventured through the museum, moving from sea to land and finally air, giving them a panoramic view of the country's landscape. When stepping into the gallery, visitors interact with the floor, where special points cause waves of movement towards the sculptural map of Panama.

With each wave an image appears on the surface of the sculpture that represents one of the many experiences that the country has to offer. As more people wander and run around the gallery, The map of Panama is filled with its wealth of natural and cultural diversity.

AV technology

Extensive AV equipment has been used in these three galleries. Oceans Divided and The Living Web have 19 Led touch screens, two of 65 inches are inserted into a custom made table, two others of the same size are mounted on wall brackets, two of 50 inches are also wall-mounted and nine 27 inches have been used for information kiosks.

This large infrastructure of visual equipment also features non-interactive wall-mounted equipment: two of 65 inches and one of 50.

Besides, The Panama gallery is the museum has four independent kiosks designed with touch screens of 24 inches.

“One of the technical requirements of the Biomuseo was that they wanted to control everything from a server room in the basement. The distances from there to the galleries forced us to devise transmission technologies to drive 4K HDMI displays, as well as USB Touch for touchscreens!. That's where VSI came into play. We do not use fiber optic cable. We did everything over CAT6A cable, hundreds of meters from the server room. The server room has to feed 23 screens, all but three of them interactive and tactile, with solid reliability and the lowest possible latency”, comments Jack Lenk, Tellart Production Director.

“This was our first project with VSI. We contacted an integrator close to our San Francisco office, David Carroll & Associates, and worked with our lead technical designer to configure the system architecture. In this project we have used 23 E4100 encoders in the server room and others 23 Visionary Solutions D4100 decoders. “One per screen”, Lenk points out.