Overview

The Svalbard Museum in Longyearbyen is a vital institution at the top of the world, dedicated to preserving the cultural and natural history of the Arctic.

To bring its exhibits into a new era, the museum partnered with Kumulus Agency — a Danish architecture firm specializing in spatial storytelling — to create a more modern, interactive experience. With BrightSign digital signage players and operating system powering the technology throughout, the museum now offers a seamless, immersive journey for visitors of all ages, languages, and cultural backgrounds.

The Challenge

The museum’s previous exhibits relied heavily on printed text, limiting engagement for international guests and younger visitors. With tourists arriving from across the globe, the museum needed a solution that could:

• Engage diverse audiences with interactive, visual storytelling that transcends language barriers.
• Operate dependably in a remote Arctic environment with limited technical support.
• Comply with internal security policies requiring reliable offline content playback.

The goal was to deliver a world-class visitor experience — one that made scientific and historical information more approachable, encouraged exploration, and reflected the museum’s global reach.

The Solution

To reimagine the museum’s exhibitions, Kumulus Agency designed a fully interactive space blending architecture, technology, and sensory storytelling. The entire experience is powered by BrightSign media players, which were chosen for their proven ability to deliver robust, synchronized content across offline, high-demand environments.

BrightSign’s technology plays a central role in the activation:

• BrightSign HD5 players drive motion-triggered animations, ambient audio, RFID, and touch-based engagement.
• BrightSign XC2055 players power a dual-projection Northern Lights display with perfectly synced 4K visuals.
• BrightSignOS™ ensures smooth, offline playback and reliable long-term operation with minimal maintenance.
• brightAuthor connected schedules, builds, and delivers all content, enabling Kumulus to efficiently manage deployment across a secure network with reliable offline playback.

The exhibits also integrate Nexmosphere sensors and tactile elements that respond to guest interaction:

• RFID-enabled 3D-milled, prehistoric creatures’ bones trigger animated projections.
• Motion sensors activate curious bear cub visuals as guests walk by.
• A glowing LED sphere responds to touch, launching an animated sequence of melting Arctic ice.

“BrightSign players combined with brightAuthor connected provided a cohesive, robust, and fail-proof platform. The system was simple to implement, worked seamlessly with the Nexmosphere accessories, and enabled us to convey the story of Svalbard in the way we envisioned.”
— Jeppe Stouby Mortensen, Partner, Kumulus Agency

These hands-on moments encourage playful discovery, helping guests learn through experience rather than static content — a key consideration for multilingual and family audiences.

Key Installations

• The Northern Lights: Dual BrightSign XC2055 players drive a large-scale projection, creating a stunning, immersive Aurora Borealis experience in an impressive size of 13×4 meters.
• RFID Storytelling: Wooden artifacts embedded with tags trigger dynamic visuals.
• Motion Zones: Wildlife projections respond to guest movement.
• Climate Interactives: A responsive LED sphere triggers climate change themes.
• Directional Audio: BrightSign-powered zones deliver synchronized soundscapes that enhance storytelling.