Strasbourg:
Society, Politics, Economy

Mandated to design and build the exhibition, GSM Project developed a conceptual approach that immerses visitors—both symbolically and literally—in the asymmetrical maze of the city’s medieval laneways to completely erase the sense of being in a conventional museum space. Display showcases, lit with concealed fibre-optic lighting, are integrated into niches in the maze walls, creating a surprisingly intimate relationship with objects from the museum’s collection.

The star of the exhibition is a large relief map of Strasbourg in 1725 that reproduces the city and its nearby geographical environment at a scale of 1:600. When viewed from behind a glass partition, the relief map becomes part of a 3D multimedia show in which virtual images interact with the surface of the map, playfully recounting the city’s eventful history. Visitors outside the partition can still enjoy the map as part of the exhibition but remain oblivious to the multimedia show until they make their way into the right position. A user-friendly, hands-free audio guide is an integral part of the exhibition and is triggered automatically at various locations thanks to state-of-the-art technology. The exhibition includes audio, video, 3D multimedia, hands-on exhibits, and 1500 pieces from the museum’s collection.