New navigation for visitors’ convenience

Navigation is not only a term associated with shipping, but also moving to a given point along a specific route. What does navigation have to do with a classic museum? Proper navigation makes visiting the museum more comfortable for guests, especially for those who come there for the first time. It is important not to get lost in the new space, and to understand quickly the location of key objects (a wardrobe, a cash register, an information center, a restroom and souvenirs) and expositions in order to build a convenient route through the museum. Sometimes what seems obvious and simple to the museum staff causes difficulties and irritation for the visitor if it is not intuitively clear where to go.

The Museum of Fine Arts of Karelia offers visitors almost 2000 square meters to meet with art and beauty. Now some routes are not always obvious, and signs are not always comprehensible. And for some guests, especially for foreigners, this can become a problem and even a barrier.

Within the project “Museums in Focus: the development of cultural services for Chinese tourists” (Karelia CBC Program 2014-2020, funded by the European Union, Finland and Russia) it is planned to create a new modern navigation system for the museum. It is not enough to create products for the Chinese tourist, one should make the products comfortable and ergonomic.

The project team moves to the development of the navigation system design. The first discussions and developments were held to create a technical task for the contractor, the market is being monitored and potential partners are being searched for the implementation of this initiative at a high quality level. Within the project implementation, not only signposts will be created, but also convenient removable modules, holders, markers and pictograms. Not only walls, but also the floor, windows, and piers are planned to be used.

To create a harmonious navigation system in the same style, it is planned to update the corporate identity of the museum and modernize the logo. There is a lot of work ahead with the involvement of a graphic designer and an interior designer.

The project team is confident that the museum will become more comfortable for the guests, including those from the Middle Kingdom.

PROJECT DIARY http://artmuseum.karelia.ru/projects/muzei-v-fokuse-razvitie-kulturnyh-servisov-dlya-kitajskih-turistov-ka9021/

PHOTOS https://vk.com/album-4852062_270866073

Project Manager: Tatyana Saltykova

Project PR manager: Latkina Irina Nikolaevna

Tel. for communication: +7 (8142) 784003

The project is financed by the European Union, Finland and Russia.