Promised Land as Proving Ground
Development of interactive digital experiences for the Promised Land as Proving Ground (PLPG) exhibit, highlighting African culture's influence on the modern understanding of culture in the United States. The exhibit supports the interpretation of the customs, struggles, and choices made by the early inhabitants of the U.S. state of Indiana, commonly referred to as Hoosiers — a term used for the pioneers and settlers in the history of the state.
For the PLPG exhibit, VGI developed an interactive map interface that visually represents the current status of Sundown Towns in contemporary Indiana. A second digital experience showcases four testimonial videos exploring the theme of Expressions of Faith within the community.
Services: Interactive kiosk application development, offline database-driven map interface, touchscreen UI design with attractor loops, and multimedia video playback systems for museum exhibits.
PLPG Sundown Towns
Visitors to the exhibit at Conner Prairie can immerse themselves in the rich narrative of Sundown Towns in modern Indiana through a captivating interactive map interface. VGI created and deployed the application, extracting information from an existing database that can be updated as required to reflect the latest information regarding the statuses of the various cities showcased in the map. The user experience includes a countdown clock triggered by a few minutes of no-touch detection, and an attractor loop illustrating the theme of the kiosk to visitors.
Exploring Indiana
The interactive map interface allows visitors to zoom in, zoom out, and pan across the map for detailed exploration within Indiana's state boundaries. A color-coded key is integrated into the map to visually differentiate between the cities' statuses: Possible, Probable, and Surely.
The Term Sundown Town
Sundown Towns refer to communities in the United States historically associated with discriminatory practices that discouraged Black individuals from staying after nightfall.
The Map Application
VGI designed the interactive application to run on a small form-factor computer connected to a large touchscreen display mounted on a public kiosk. The map functions entirely offline and independently of internet access.
The Interactive Map
An offline interactive map illustrating the current status of Sundown Towns within contemporary Indiana.
PLPG Expressions of Faith
Our collaboration with Conner Prairie also involved creating a digital interactive interface showcasing videos from local religious leaders exploring diverse expressions of faith. The experience is accessed through a touchscreen display within the gallery, allowing visitors to learn from religious leaders representing Christianity, Ifa-Orisa, Islam, and Judaism. An attractor loop activates when there is no touch detected on the screen, providing visitors with insight into the nature of the experience.
Multimedia Experience
The audio-video application features dynamic menu selection and seamless video transitions, incorporating cutting-edge techniques in video editing and user interface design for an enhanced user experience.
Lightweight Content Playback
The application features an elegant menu selection design that replicates the capabilities of robust hardware solutions, while operating on a compact and high-performance media player, commonly used in world-class museum galleries.
Testimonies on Faith
Visitors of the PLPG exhibit gain insights from four religious leaders representing Christianity, Ifa-Orisa, Islam, and Judaism as they share personal experiences related to their faith.