How does your cultural site sound?
- Paul Baker
- Feb 18
- 3 min read
Updated: May 8
Does your life have a musical soundtrack? Is every moment of drama or beauty accompanied by your personal playlist? This isn’t a new phenomenon. Even before the Sony Walkman (yes, I’m showing my age), some of us had a constant stream of music playing in our heads. For some neurodivergent individuals, this is a daily reality. What has changed is our ability to curate and control our auditory experiences.
So, are museums missing an opportunity?
This is Heritage Thinking Differently, donning the headphones, launching the Spotify app, and crafting a museum soundscape.
The Power of Sound in Museums
Every now and then, when I’m listening to music, the perfect track unexpectedly aligns with my surroundings, elevating the entire experience. Museums and heritage sites have long embraced audio guides, encouraging visitors to engage with exhibitions in their own auditory bubbles—but only if it serves an educational purpose.
But what if we took it further? Imagine offering customisable soundtracks that encourage repear visits and invite visitors to experience collections and environments in new ways. Picture your site set to a classical score, ambient soundscapes, music hall tunes, or something more experimental. Each variation could be released over time, generating fresh media stories and enticing repeat visits.
Sound as an Interactive Experience
Consider involving your audience in this process. Team members could curate their own ideal soundtracks, or visitors could submit playlists reflecting how they experience your space. These could be uploaded to a museum channel, fostering a sense of participation and personalisation.
Beyond novelty, tailored soundscapes could enhance well-being and support diverse audience needs. Some individuals, particularly those who are neurodivergent, prefer controlled auditory environments that allow them to explore spaces on their own terms. Soundscapes could be designed for specific galleries, rooms, or collections, offering a more inclusive experience.
Implementing a Museum Soundtrack
If this concept is new to your museum, setting up a dedicated channel (on platforms like Spotify or SoundCloud) is a simple and effective starting point. Social media could help promote it, introducing various playlists with descriptions of the intended atmosphere. You might even explore collaborations with musicians or public figures to create celebrity-curated playlists, offering a unique marketing angle.
For those seeking a deeper connection between sound and history, specialist software could integrate archival audio, incorporating voices from the past, oral histories, or atmospheric recreations of historical events. SoundCloud might be a useful tool for this type of interpretive experience.
Who’s Leading the Way?
So far, the Science Museum has used curated playlists to highlight electronic instruments in their collection—an innovative way to bring objects to life. Meanwhile, the British Museum hosts a SoundCloud channel featuring collection-related audio, though this leans more toward interpretation than immersive experience. In the U.S., art galleries have been early adopters of sound-enhanced experiences, with MoMA among those leading the charge. But the potential extends far beyond the art world.
What’s Next?
I confess—I’m a music geek. Whether it’s playing on my phone or running through my mind, there’s always a soundtrack accompanying my day. I’ve experimented with period-specific instrumental playlists while visiting historic sites, but the idea of creating something completely unexpected and immersive for a contemporary art gallery excites me even more. Every space has its own vibe, and every visitor’s perception will be different.
So, why not experiment?
Paul Baker
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