The Orkney Museum is a 300 year old listed building with 100,000 artefacts in their collection, spanning over 6,000 years of human history from the Mesolithic to the Post-Medieval periods.
Rocketbox tendered to deliver a full re-design of three rooms Vikings, Picts and Iron Age galleries. Our mission:
1. Dramatically enhance the Vikings project at Orkney Museum with innovative interactives; powerful; distinctive and memorable design.
2. Make the Vikings project an active rather than passive experience, using Ai to produce a real life Viking to answer your questions!
3. Bring the experience up to date to impart the sense of story and place – using tried and tested design alongside innovative analogue and digital interactives, AV and amazing graphics.
4. Devise a more logical flow around the space with consideration of other exhibits.
5. Be a knowledgeable, respectful guiding hand to the Orkney Museum team dedicated to delivering this exciting project.
The galleries showcase the very best of our contemporary museum practise and innovation, with an engaging mix of interpretive techniques – such as: hands-on-active and reactive interactives – digital, analogue and tactile. We have also developed the first fully conversational, unscripted animated AI character in a public space: ‘Ragna’ – ask her anything!
Rocketbox handled design & layout, all object case dressing and display case design, set works, graphic panels and AV elements. We successfully project managed a range of suppliers on a remote UK island under a tight 6 month delivery window.
“An interpretive strategy is crucial for heritage institutions to
effectively communicate their stories and significance, engage
visitors, and fulfil their educational missions.”
The Vikings exhibition balances environmental impact with public education. We’ve used reusable or low impact/recyclable materials; energy-efficient tech and local production wherever possible. The environmental cost is considered carefully against the long-term value of inspiring education.
ClientOrkney Museum, KirkwallDate of Work2025Work typeMuseum Design, Fabrication and Install
