Prime ministers' museum engages and impresses with latest technology

Step straight into the history of India at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, the Museum of Prime Ministers, in the heart of Delhi. Inaugurated in April 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, designed by Tagbin and excuted by Museums & Expos Ltd (MUSE), covers 43 immersive galleries housed in two buildings at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library.

Gurgaon-based design agency, Tagbin, was responsible for the design of the 15,600 square metre museum which explores the life and works of former prime ministers. Cutting-edge in its use of experiential technology, the museum features immersive WATCHOUT shows and projection-mapping, interactive experiences, holograms, virtual reality and augmented reality to capture its audience.

Hours of immersive content

The Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya tells the story of India after Independence through the lens of the various prime ministers. For Tagbin, that meant immersing visitors at every step of the historical narrative with state-of-the-art displays in the 43 galleries. Around 7.5 hours of curated content was created to let the visitor revisit the past – and look to the future.

From the entrance with the National Emblem levitating in the air and mood-setting lighting, the visitors are guided through the galleries with a handheld audio device for a truly 360 experience. The time machine zone, featuring a wraparound WATCHOUT show running on nine laser projectors, transports visitor into the past to relive the words of every prime minister, including India’s first Prime Minister, Jawar Nehru. In the helicopter zone, a similarly immersive, motion-synched experience, visitors get a peek into the future of the country.

Setting new standards for visitor experience

Tagbin’s multi-talented team of designers managed the project and collaborated with many agencies in the creation of the state-of-the-art museum. Museums & Expos Ltd was responsible for the complete execution and they chose the local company MSS for the AV installation. The goals were sky high: create a mesmeric sensory experience describing the journey India has taken and make it fully accessible.

Tagbin's CEO and Design & Technology Consultant of this Sangrahalaya, Mr Saurav Bhaik says, "The museum incorporates the most advanced technological implementation. From immersive shows, projection mapping, virtual reality, helicopter rides to interactive exhibits, levitation and kinetic wings - this museum brings a new name to visitor experience.”

The feedback from visitors has been extremely positive with many lauding the interactive aspects and the merging of history with the latest technology.

WATCHOUT in action

Based on their many previous positive experiences of the system, MUSE recommended Dataton WATCHOUT for the Museum of Prime Ministers. A single production computer was teamed with many rack-mountable WATCHOUT servers on the museum network.

Mr Jordi Mollà, CTO at MUSE, says: "We have used WATCHOUT a lot in the past and specially in interfacing with external hardware like hydraulic systems, fans, mist systems, lighting systems. The pluggable nature of WATCHOUT is amazing and means I can integrate with almost any kind of hardware.

"A centralized control of the entire museum was required by Tagbin," Mr Mollà explains. "WATCHOUT gives us interfaces that let us control all aspects of WATCHOUT including playback remote control. This interface enabled us to build a central museum management software, that has full control of all the WATCHOUT-related exhibits over the network."

WATCHOUT has a solid reputation for performance and versatility in mapping and multi-display shows after 20+ years on the market. With integration playing a key role at the museum, the team also appreciated this ability to control WATCHOUT from a central system using the Input feature and TCP.

Mr Ankit Sinha, Co-Founder and CTO at Tagbin says: ”The extendible nature of WATCHOUT makes the software an industry leader. Dataton WATCHOUT was used extensively in the galleries, with the software helping us create an immersive experience. All the projection mapping-related exhibits and high definition LED screens are powered by WATCHOUT.”

A must in Delhi

“It’s an amazing to see how 75 years of constitutional history and facts have been transformed into an engaging experience for all ages,” Mr Ashok Sharma, Dataton, comments. “We are very proud that WATCHOUT was chosen to help bring alive the stories of the prime ministers.”

The Museum of Prime Ministers is on the Teen Murti Marg, New Delhi, 110011 and open to the public in the summer from 10 am to 6 pm.