Ahead of the highly anticipated re-opening of ACMI in Federation Square, the renowned national museum of screen culture has committed to a revolutionary digital future within its walls and beyond.
The $40 million transformation of ACMI in Fed Square is nearing completion and Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson today welcomed the museum’s new model, which makes digital technology an integral part of the ACMI experience whether you’re inside the venue or enjoying its offerings remotely.
The first major online experience to launch is a digital exhibition, The Story of the Moving Image, which traces the history and future of the moving image from the first films to television, digital games and beyond.
The digital exhibition will give viewers the chance to watch films, play videogames, read longform articles and learn more about the latest filmmaking and games development techniques, and will complement a forthcoming physical exhibition onsite at the new ACMI.
In the months ahead ACMI will also launch a new digital art gallery that will showcase online-only artworks, new online education resources, public programs and a new video-on-demand service – Cinema 3. Like ACMI’s onsite cinemas, Cinema 3 will provide exclusive access to local and international cinema classics, revivals and new releases.
When ACMI’s transformed Fed Square campus reopens, technology will play a vital role, too. The ACMI team has worked with local and international tech companies to create the museum’s own operating system, XOS, which will embed technology into every aspect of the visitor experience before, during and after a visit.
Through a handheld device known as The Lens, onsite visitors will be guided on tailored tours and be able to tap their device to learn more about objects they see along the way. Once visitors exit, The Lens will create a digital tour that they can access from any device to continue their ACMI experience from home.
While the new model was developed prior to the pandemic, the last six months have given ACMI the opportunity to further explore digital programs and develop digital experiences. Over this period, ACMI digital content has reached 4.5 million people online and the appetite for digital creative experiences has skyrocketed.
ACMI’s redevelopment is in its final stages with the onsite museum due to open in 2021. To view the digital exhibition The Story of the Moving Image and to learn more about ACMI’s digital programs, go to acmi.net.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson
“ACMI has always been one of a kind and this new model will take the ACMI experience to a new level – redefining what a museum can be.”
“Our world-leading ACMI team has been working behind the scenes to create a true museum of the future by opening it up to people across the state, the country and the world.”
Quotes attributable to ACMI chief executive Katrina Sedgwick
“The new ACMI will offer an immensely rich experience that people can engage with in new ways: at home, on their devices and here at the museum itself.”
"In the same way we curate and design exhibitions and programs for the physical museum, we have been developing them specifically for online across the breadth of screen culture – film, TV, videogames and art.”
Reviewed 12 October 2020