The Rocks Discovery Museum has always been a little gem of digital interpretation. So, when vision-impaired visitors reached out, asking for better ways to experience these stories independently, we listened.
Its multimedia exhibits tell the layered stories of Sydney's most significant heritage precinct, weaving Aboriginal perspectives with colonial history and archaeological discoveries from The Big Dig.
Great interpretation evolves with visitor needs, technology, and community feedback. The museum came to us with a clear brief: create an accessible audio experience that would work seamlessly with their existing digital infrastructure while offering something genuinely engaging, not just descriptions of what people "would see," but rich storytelling in its own right.
"We really wanted to make history available to everyone”
Natalie Gedeon
Research & Curatorial Officer
Building on Strong Foundations
Leveraging the interpretive website we created in 2021 when refreshing the multimedia from the original build 15 years earlier, we added a bespoke audio tour that provides hands-free, accessible interpretation complementing the existing multimedia for each of the five thematic sections.
The solution needed to be simple to access, require no downloads or technical expertise, and work on any smartphone. A QR code delivers visitors directly to 40 minutes of narrative-driven interpretation that doesn't rely on touchscreens or require reading text.
Stories That Speak
Working from scripts developed by the museum's curatorial team, we transformed their words into an immersive audio experience through professional narration and carefully crafted soundscapes of harbour activity, construction sounds, domestic life, and the natural environment to enhance auditory connections with the past.
The audio tour works independently of the visual displays, making it genuinely accessible for vision-impaired visitors while also offering an alternative way for everyone to engage with The Rocks' stories. Some visitors prefer to listen while walking through the space; others sit and let the narratives wash over them.
A Living Resource
Because the audio tours integrate with the museum's existing website infrastructure, content can be updated, expanded, or modified as the museum's interpretation evolves. Future additions might include multilingual versions or specialised tours focusing on subsets of The Rocks' history or specific audiences. The foundation is there so that the stories can grow.
This project demonstrates what good digital infrastructure can do: it evolves to meet changing needs without requiring complete overhauls. By responding to visitor feedback with a solution that builds on existing assets, The Rocks Discovery Museum continues to deliver engaging and accessible heritage interpretation for its diverse visitors.
