Ralph Applebaum Associates

The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology aims to demonstrate the social and cultural implications of progress in science, technology, industry, and medicine through the ages. On the occasion of the Museum’s 100th anniversary, RAA was asked to create the participatory exhibition TING, which invites visitors to explore the complex relationships between technology and democracy.

A basic wooden cube, analogous to the digital pixel, becomes a tactile, haptic tool for visitors to trigger digital interactions within the exhibition and the Ting. A television transmitter, a military rifle, an industrial robot, and an early computer showcase the historical, cultural, and political uses of technology. It quickly becomes clear that evaluating technology is complex and that there is not just one meaning or truth.

Surrounding the Ting table, a 25-meter-wide, 5-meter-high shelf displays 100 objects while also functioning as a 180° projection surface. Visitors explore the shelf either with the interactive tablets or by placing the wooden cubes on the table, simultaneously bringing the objects to life and immersing themselves in the spirit and history of these technologies.

The Ting becomes a discursive social space where dramatic object displays and immersive, interactive media work hand in hand to facilitate a participatory experience in which the visitor is at the center.

Response to TING has been overwhelmingly positive, as evidenced by increased visitor numbers and increased dwell time. Visitors stay longer in the exhibition and interact with each other in ways not common for a temporary exhibition.