Software and
hardware design
‘Ghostly’ success at Gressenhall Museum – Norfolk
Jeff Graham, Technical Director of Xor Systems was approached by Mick Orr, of Bremner & Orr Design Consultants to help him successfully bring to life an innovative exhibit which depicted the harshness of the Gressenhall Workhouse regime to modern day visitors.
Gressenhall Museum in Norfolk was originally built as a House of Industry to shelter the rural poor, later becoming a classic Victorian Workhouse. It now houses the vast collections of the Norfolk Rural Life Museum.
The punishment cell of the Workhouse was still intact complete with its huge, unflinching metal door – an ideal place to convey the chilling, negative side of the workhouse system. The small, windowless room was whitewashed with just a wooden bench inside. A sympathetic, imaginative system of lighting, sound and imagery was developed to create the atmosphere and to tell the tale of one small boy locked alone in the room for 6 hours because he had the nerve to cheek matron.
To successfully convey the isolation and loneliness of the room the exhibit was started not by the press of a switch, but by an infra-red switch which started automatically when it sensed the human warmth of a hand. Once the museum visitor entered the room the remotely controlled ‘Puppeteer’ computer system then began - “Psst, what are you in here for then”
The ghostly image of a young boy appeared and said, “What's your punishment then? Six hours, locked in the dark with just bread and water” continues the boy ……………. and so the story continued.
Gressenhall houses collections illustrating life in the Norfolk countryside over the past two hundred and fifty years, with particular emphasis on agriculture. Farming and industry machinery and utensils are on show as well as displays of local crafts. The new galleries, designed by Bremner & Orr and opened by Prince Charles in July 2001, bring together many aspects of Norfolk rural life, including not only its pleasures, but also the great risks of ending up out-of-work and in extreme poverty.
The task for Mick Orr and Morag Bremner's design team was to depict snapshots of life in the Workhouse to modern day visitors- both good and bad.
The new wing of the museum holds a number of exhibits, such as storyboards telling the history of the Workhouse and of some of the people. There is a complete model of a straw mattress and bed. There is a classroom to show where the youngsters were taught. All of these exhibits are in the original rooms of the workhouse. Interactive displays, again using Puppeteer, invite visitors to vote for and against the Workhouse system and its regime.
Puppeteer was also used to control the lighting and sound effects in a gallery of Everyday Clothes. The overall effect is based on the theatrical trick called Pepper's Ghost . By lighting one side of a muslin screen, the audience can only see the screen. By swapping the lighting to illuminate the rear of the muslin, the audience can see through the screen, revealing the costumes behind. It's a simple trick, but effective and dramatic.
The timing on the effect is synchronised with the commentary. This provides an amusing story in a genuine Norfolk accent. The costumes on display include a brass band uniform and a Red Cross nurse's uniform, dating from the 1940s.
There are many stories of the people who lived and died in the Workhouse. Some of the stories are tragic, some are happy, but all are moving. It is not so many years ago that fear of the Workhouse was a genuine concern and prospect for many in the countryside.
Xor’s ‘Puppeteer’ is ideal for this kind of work. It is a simple computer designed to respond to signals from the real world – pressure, touch, light, movement etc.. It adds interest, life and drama to exhibits, through the judicious use of sound and other sensory stimulants such as light, smell and smoke. Puppeteer has the added advantage of being easily reprogrammed (from a distance) to change the effects on a daily basis if needed!
‘Puppeteer’ is programmed in Java and is capable of storing complex affects as standard WAV files – as used on a Windows pc.
Xor Systems 01453 843033
Bremner & Orr 01453 840199 http://www.bremnerandorr.com
Norfolk Rural Life Museum,
Gressenhall 01362 860563