Attractionswww.attractionsmanagement.com MFC(+H+)''0 management K? 9Xebjpmj 9i`jkfcDlj\ld ?fnk_\Zfekifm\ij`Xc Xik`jk j\o_`Y`k`fe nXjj\klg`ej\Zi\k :?@G:C<8IP @88G8 je\nZ_X`ik\ccjlj kf]Xjk\eflij\XkY\ckj SEE US AT IAAPA STAND 3019 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT EDITOR’S LETTER SAVING AND CREATING ENERGY ON THE COVER: The 99 Village Theme Park, P26 isitor attraction designers and developers have traditionally focused their energies on understanding the needs of visitors and working to exceed their READER SERVICES V expectations, while at the same time designing attractions which can be cost- SUBSCRIPTIONS effectively managed in terms of personnel and maintenance costs. Julie Albone +44 (0)1462 471915 However, it seems these priorities are changing and operators across the sector CIRCULATION MANAGER are beginning to ask more testing questions about the energy costs of the attractions Michael Emmerson +44 (0)1462 471932 they purchase. Speaking at the Annual National Conference of Visitor Attractions EDITORIAL TEAM (VAC) in London in October, Ivan Knezovich from the West Midland Safari and EDITOR Leisure Park said energy consumption is becoming as important a consideration as Liz Terry +44 (0)1462 431385 capacity when purchasing rides. He predicted that rides’ power consumption fi gures MANAGING EDITOR would be made available as a standard part of the sales process in years to come. Kathleen Whyman +44 (0)1462 471918 Pressure from buyers will lead to innovation in all areas of energy consump- NEWSDESK tion and we may eventually see the widespread use of rides which generate more Tom Walker +44 (0)1462 471917 power than they use. One of the fi rst of these, the Green Dragon rollercoaster at the Pete Hayman +44 (0)1462 471931 Greenwood Forest Park in Wales, UK, manages a top speed of 25mph, while also Sarah Todd +44 (0)1462 471927 giving power back to the park. While this speed isn’t going to set any records, there Martin Nash +44 (0)1462 471933 are some great engineering companies in this market which are capable of working ADVERTISING TEAM PUBLISHER “The power needs of a wide range of attractions are being Julie Badrick +44 (0)1462 471919 scrutinised by buyers, while specifi ers are becoming ADVERTISING SALES aware of the need to both save and create energy” John Challinor +44 (0)1582 607970 Jan Williams +44 (0)1462 471909 on low- and no-energy concepts to help reduce the carbon footprint of rides and we Stephanie Rogers +44 (0)1462 471903 will be seeing more innovation in this area to the benefi t of all rides purchasers. ATTRACTIONS RECRUITMENT This change won’t be limited to theme parks – a wide range of attractions use Annie Lovell +44 (0)1462 471901 rides, from museums with ride-through exhibits to planetariums with simulation rides. ADVERTISING PRODUCTION The power needs of a variety of attractions are being scrutinised by buyers, while Ed Gallagher +44 (0)1462 431385 specifi ers are becoming aware of the need to both save and create energy. WEB TEAM One innovative project will see the team at the Science Museum in London using a chalk aquifer directly below the museum as a reservoir to help INTERNET Michael Paramore +44 (0)1462 471926 manage the heating and cooling of the museum. Dean Fox +44 (0)1462 471900 The system will use two boreholes – one to be a cold Tim Nash +44 (0)1462 471917 store, the other a warm store. In summer, water will be Katie Eldridge +44 (0)1462 471913 drawn from the cold store and used to cool the buildings. Emma Harris +44 (0)1462 471921 The heat expelled from the buildings will be pushed into FUN-KIT.NET/MUSEUM-KIT.NET the warm store. In winter, the fl ows will be reversed and PRODUCT SEARCH ENGINE water drawn from the warm store will be used for heating. Sarah Todd +44 (0)1462 471927 The resulting colder water will be pushed into the cold Martin Nash +44 (0)1462 471933 store, recharging it for the following summer. Mark Edmonds +44 (0)1462 471933 Exciting schemes such as these show how our industry DESIGN can make signifi cant contributions to the reduction of car- Andy Bundy +44 (0)1462 471924 bon emmissions through collaborative innovation. Claire Toplis +44 (0)1462 471910 FINANCE Liz Terry, editor, [email protected] Sue Davis +44 (0)1395 519318 Denise Gildea +44 (0)1462 471930 THE LEISURE MEDIA COMPANY PUBLISHES spa business uniting the world of spas A NEW 3D DIMENSION FOR CINEMA The Leisure Media Company Ltd, Maurice Kelly BANKSY THE SCARLET VS BRISTOL MUSEUM Portmill House, Portmill Lane, Getting Wigan Active Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1DJ UK Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385 Do we need a tourism bank? Fax: +44 (0)1462 433909 e-mail: [email protected] ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT IS THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SUPPORTED BY www.attractionsmanagement.com © Cybertrek 2009 AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 3 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 4 2009 24 TALKING POINT: 34 OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD: HOW CAN AWARENESS THE CRYPTO FACTOR 3 EDITOR’S LETTER OF FREE ADMISSION TO We learn how Fairmont Aquatic Center MUSEUMS BE INCREASED? 8 MUSEUM NEWS managed when an outbreak of crypto 10 HERITAGE NEWS Almost half of Brits don’t know entry to meant under-fi ves were banned the Natural History Museum is free. The 12 BALPPA NEWS experts explain how to resolve this MUSEUMS: 14 36 THEME PARK NEWS MYTHICAL STATUS 16 SCIENCE CENTRE NEWS 26 NEW OPENING: Salzburg Museum’s archivist, Erich Marx 17 ZOO & AQUARIUM NEWS HERO WORSHIP reveals how they won the European 18 WATERPARK NEWS The 99 Village Theme Park opened in Museum of the Year Award 2009 19 GALLERY NEWS Kuwait earlier this year. Based on The 99 comic book superheroes, the park is the 40 ENTREPRENEURS: 20 PROFILE: fi rst of six which are being planned LYNTON V HARRIS CHIP CLEARY From launching a Halloween show in The new chair of IAAPA talks about deal- 30 MYSTERY SHOPPER: 1996 to running a global business. Harris ing with the recession, the climate and INSECTS APPEAL is out to entertain and scare the world! swine fl u. Rather than getting him down Want to get close to creepy crawlies? though, he’s excited about the rapidly We visit the new BugWorld Experience 43 SHOW REVIEW: evolving industry and what’s next in Liverpool to fi nd out if it has legs ECSITE 2009 6 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ISSUE 4 2009 DIGITAL MAGAZINE: See Attractions Management online: attractionsmanagement.com/digital TODAY’S NEWS AND JOBS: For the latest opportunities in the attractions industry, plus global market news, check out our daily website: www.attractionsmanagement.com or sign up for e-news on www.leisuresubs.com ATTENTION PHOTO: ©HOLLIS PHOTO: BUYERS! Wherever you are in the world, fi nd suppliers 24/7 using Attractions Management’s dedicated leisure search engine: www.fun-kit.net SUBSCRIBE: Be a part of the bigger picture and subscribe to Attractions Management. To sign up, call: +44 (0)1462 471915 BUYERS’ GUIDE: For suppliers of products and services in the worldwide attractions industry, turn to page 81 44 GALLERIES: 56 MULTIMEDIA & AV: 68 INTERACTIVES: DRAWING ON EXPERIENCE REALITY SHOW STAYING IN TOUCH Kate Brindley tells us about setting up The latest applications for multimedia Augmented reality, mimicking motion the controversial Banksy exhibition and and audiovisual are used to bring sub- and real-time reactions are among the her new role as director at mima jects to life. Examples include talking latest interactive experiences wasps and a fl ight over London 48 PLANETARIUMS: 74 AUDIOGUIDES: NEW DIRECTIONS 60 WATERPARKS: THE STORYTELLERS A look at some of the latest openings POOLING RESOURCES The second part of our look at recent, and innovators in the industry Multi-slider rides and interactive toys are exciting audioguide projects big news at waterparks, providing fun 50 ATTRACTIONS DESIGN: for the whole family, while the Virginia 78 FUN-KIT SPECIAL: JONES AND JONES Graeme Baker Act makes pools safer TICKETING SYSTEMS We hear about the fi rm’s zoo design phi- A fun-kit/museum-kit focus on ticketing losophies and work at Miami Metrozoo 64 EXHIBITION DESIGN: systems available for attractions PIONEERING PORTRAYALS 54 MUSEUM DESIGN: New exhibitions inject life into the sto- 82 ODD JOB: VARIETY SHOW ries of Shakespeare and Darwin, while A FISHY TAIL We look at the way three design fi rms another challenges the stereotypical Marcy Terry describes her life as a tackle very different design projects image of Chinese Americans mermaid at Wacki Wachee Springs AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 7 ;dgi]ZbWj[ijcki[kcd[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec MUSEUM NEWS Picasso Museum closes for revamp The Picasso Museum in the Marais quarter of Paris, France, has closed its doors to the public for the next two years while it undergoes a revamp. Doubling the amount of exhibition space available in the 17th century mansion to more than 2,000sq m (21,500sq ft) will allow the current display of only 300 works of art to be expanded to include a more of the museum’s 5,000-strong collection. The visitor areas will also be remod- elled to enhance educational value for The new wing covers an area of 16,700sq m families. The museum is scheduled to Darwin Centre opens at NHM reopen in February 2012. MOCA opens its The long-awaited £78m (US$125m, %85m) featuring a collage of interactive screens Darwin Centre at the Natural History provides information on global warming. doors to the public Museum (NHM) in South Kensington, The offi cial opening in September was London, UK has opened its doors to the attended by HRH Prince William of Wales The Museum of Chinese in America public on schedule. and Sir David Attenborough. (MOCA) in New York reopened in At the centre of the new 16,700sq m Michael Dixon, director of the museum, September following a redesign. (180,000sq ft) wing sits a 65m (210ft)-long, said: “We hope that Prince William will be The 14,000sq ft (1,300sq m) space eight-storey high cocoon accommodat- the fi rst of many visitors who will leave with was designed by Maya Lin and boasts ing 17 million insect and three million plant a real sense of awe and wonder at nature multiple exhibition galleries, interac- specimens in 3km of cabinets, which are and a better understanding of why the tive display kiosks, a multipurpose open to display to museum visitors. Some work of the Natural History Museum is so auditorium/classroom, a research cen- of the windows also feature a microphone relevant – now more than ever. tre and a space for multidisciplinary to allow the public to question museum sci- “We hope he and our many guests public programmes. entists while they carry out live research. will be inspired to share in our collective The museum is funded by the The museum has also teamed up with responsibility over the future of the planet.” National Endowment for the Arts, the the BBC to showcase natural history fi lm HGB Construction built the new wing New York City Department of Cultural footage in the Attenborough Studio, while in accordance with the designs of Danish Affairs and the New York State a 30sq m (323sq ft) Climate Change Wall architects C F Møller. Council on the Arts. (See P66) New exhibition for Arbejdermuseet Arbejdermuseet in Copenhagen, Denmark, The exhibition has been designed by has added a new gallery to its collections. Danish fi rm Blekksprut AS, while Multi The museum, which charts the history Tekst was responsible for integrating of the Danish workers’ movement, has cre- the multimedia used in the exhibition. ated a new section called Industry Worker. The show uses technology supplied by The exhibition starts in an introductory Medialon as the main show control system. room where a seven-minute long, high Arbejdermuseet was founded in 1983 defi nition movie with historical facts is dis- and celebrates the working class’ struggle played on a 42in (110cm) LCD monitor. for equality and rights throughout the last After the introductory room, visitors go 150 years. It is set in the former Workers’ through several exhibition rooms which Assembly Hall, which was built by the offer a number of listening posts, allowing labour movement in 1879. Exhibits include guests to listen to interviews of workers of artworks and displays about the working the local industry from a century ago. man’s conditions and hardships. The museum charts the lives of workers 8 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Right now, somewhere in the world, we’re creating a smile, engaging a mind or touching a heart. www.jackrouse.com Jack Rouse Associates iaapa booth #6073 Master Planning + Attraction Design + Executive Media Production + Project Management ;dgi]ZbWj[ij^[h_jW][d[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec HERITAGE NEWS Civil rights museum plans on hold Plans to establish a purpose-built US$80m (£49m, `56m) heritage attraction based on the civil rights movement in Jackson, Tennessee have been put on hold indefi nitely. A possible site for the museum was chosen back in March 2008, but since then little progress has been made despite a number of meetings between city offi cials. The museum was originally sched- The museum will chart the history of the planet, from dinosaurs to humans uled to open to the public by 2012. A spokesperson for the project said Evolution museum for Athens Zoo that the prolonged planning process has been caused by the “slumping UK-based Lazenby Design has been Lazenby Design’s creative director, David economy” and pressures on prop- appointed to design the new Evolution Lazenby, said: “This will be the fi rst exhibit erty-led projects. Museum in Athens, Greece. of its kind in Greece and, while most muse- The proposed site for the museum Scheduled to open in 2010, the 4,000sq ums tend to focus only on the dinosaurs, is the city’s Tougaloo College cam- m (43,000sq ft) museum will be located at we will take our visitors on a thrilling, multi- pus, which served as a safe haven the city’s Attica Zoological Park. sensory journey. Together with engaging, for those taking part in the Freedom The museum will house both outdoor interpretive and audio visual displays, it will Riders movement. The then university and indoor exhibits, including immersive make for a meaningful, educational and was built in 1869 on a former planta- prehistoric environments, creature models, exciting experience.” tion for newly freed slaves. palaeontology displays and animated inter- The museum will be operated by Athens- The Tougaloo College is currently pretive AV exhibits. The museum will chart based Attica Thematic Park, which also undergoing a US$7.5m (%5.1m, the history of the planet from early organ- operates the zoo. The Attica Zoological £4.7m) redevelopment of its facilities. isms through to the rise of mammals. Park fi rst opened in 2000. Work will include a new art gallery. Event appointed for Causeway project Exhibition designer Event Communications site – on the project, which will include will develop the interpretive design for the scoping, shaping and implementing the planned £18.5m %20.2m, $29.8m) visi- interpretative plan for the Giant’s Causeway tor centre at the Giant’s Causeway tourist and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site. attraction in Northern Ireland. Steve Simons, executive creative direc- Event will work closely with The National tor of Event said: “The Giant’s Causeway Trust – which manages the world heritage is one of the great natural wonders of the Tennyson’s former home is now open world. I’m thrilled that Event has been awarded the task of immersing visitors in Tennyson museum its splendours. The new Visitor Centre will opens to the public encourage appreciation and contribute to the vital protection of Northern Ireland’s A museum celebrating the life and only World Heritage site.” times of British poet Alfred, Lord Plans for the new centre, which was Tennyson has opened at his former designed by Dublin-based architects, home on the Isle of Wight, UK. heneghan.peng, were approved by the Present owners Martin Beisly, a Northern Ireland Executive’s environment senior expert on Victorian painting at minister, Sammy Wilson, in January 2009. Christie’s auction house, and Rebecca Work is expected to get underway on Fitzgerald have reopened Farringford the new visitor centre in early 2010 with a House to the public following a three- The new visitor centre will open in 2011 scheduled public opening in 2011. year refurbishment. 10 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ;dgi]ZbWj[ijd[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec BALPPA NEWS Colin Dawson Challenging Times Alton Towers, singled out by the 4Children charity hose of you who attended the A third of children ‘never been to a theme park’ Annual National Conference T of Visitors Attractions will have A children’s charity has called on theme 4Children singled out Alton Towers been inspired by the conference theme park operators to lower their prices after a and Legoland – operated by Merlin “Challenges Make Champions”. The study claimed that more than a third of chil- Entertainments – as parks which charge speaker line-up was quite awesome, dren in the UK have never visited a park. families more than £100 for a day out. without question the strongest we have A survey by 4Children shows that 38 per In response, Merlin said the survey had in the six years of VAC. cent of school-aged children have never failed to take into account the existence There can never have been a more visited a park because their parents are of Merlin’s own children’s charity, Merlin’s appropriate theme for a conference, unable to afford the costs involved. Anne Magic Wand. Launched last year, Merlin’s nor have we faced quite so many chal- Longfi eld, CEO of 4Children, called for Magic Wand provides disadvantaged lenges as those we are likely to face in leading attractions to cut their prices in children the opportunity to visit Merlin the 2010 season. For many attraction order to accommodate poorer families. attractions by offering free entrance. operators, 2009 started very encourag- ingly and the expression “staycation” became a much used phrase through- out the industry and trade media. Dreamland plans Domestic holiday providers reported strong bookings, and the optimism move ahead was heightened even further with the euro and dollar showing strong per- The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has formances against sterling. We even awarded funding worth £384,500 to witnessed a bullish weather forecast The Dreamland Trust in Margate to from the Met Offi ce which referred to a develop plans for creating the world’s “barbeque summer”! But what of 2010? fi rst theme park of historic rides. Will the optimism survive without The HLF fi rst-round pass means help from the Met Offi ce? Will Sterling the trust can now progress to the London attractions recover against the euro and dollar? second stage of the HLF application see rise in numbers Will poor weather refl ect badly on the process. It has up to two years to sub- holiday plans for the domestic market? mit detailed plans and apply for the The number of people visiting museums, Will a change of government take place £2.65m of HLF money that it is seek- galleries and other London attractions and breathe new life into tourism? ing for the £12m project. increased by 12.8 per cent during the three My crystal ball is a touch cloudy Phase One of the project will create months from April to June, compared to today, but one thing is certain. an amusement park of historic rides, the same period last year. Those who rise to the occasion to many of which are the last surviv- Visit London attributed the boost in meet the challenges will once again ing examples of their type. Over the visitor numbers to the warm weather prove to be the ones who report a past decade, these rides have been and European tourists taking advantage positive result. Will your attractions rescued from across the UK by The of the weak pound. business be among them? Dreamland Trust, with the assistance During the period, visits to paid Colin Dawson chief executive, BALPPA of site owners the Margate Town attractions rose 14 per cent, while free Centre Regeneration Company. attractions saw a 12 per cent increase. 12 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 François Fassier I Parc Asterix EDUCATION PASSION PEOPLE Stay connected. Stay informed. Stay ahead. egdYjXZYWn The conference and tradeshow for the attractions and leisure industry in Europe. Update your profile on www.IAAPA.org/EAS and we will keep you informed. ;dgi]ZaViZhij^[c[fWhad[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec THEME PARK NEWS Blackstone buys Busch Blackstone has reached an agreement with Anheuser-Busch InBev to acquire Busch Entertainment Corporation for US$2.7bn (£1.69bn, %1.83bn). The deal includes 10 visitor attrac- tions in the US – the SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego, two Busch Gardens parks in Tampa and Williamsburg and other family attractions in Orlando, Tampa, Williamsburg and Langhorne. The deal is comprised of a cash The theme park will be based on ethical leisure activities payment of US$2.3bn and a right to participate in Blackstone’s return Ecofun theme park plans for Penang on its initial investment, capped at US$400m. Blackstone already owns The Penang Government in Malaysia is to on cultural conservation and social respon- Merlin Entertainments, but there are hold an open tender seeking designs for a sibility, but also provide an economic currently no plans to merge the opera- new ‘Ecofun Theme Park Resort’. platform, which will create 500 jobs and tions of the two companies. The RM100m (US$28.5m, AUD$34m, attract at least one million visitors to the £17.3m) resort would be located on resort annually. It will have a positive effect Disney acquires Marvel 12.14hectares of land leased from the on other tourism services within Penang. PenangWater Corporation in Teluk Bahang. “It is a major undertaking with a new The Walt Disney Company is to buy Penang-based theme park design and confi guration that has never been created Marvel Entertainment in a stock and development company SIM Leisure has with such a wide spectrum of ethical lei- cash transaction valuing the company reportedly already submitted a proposal sure activities.” at US$4bn (£2.5bn, %2.8bn). which includes a waterpark and farm. SIM Leisure has previously been Under the terms of the agreement SIM Leisure general manager Roy involved in the design and construction of and based on the closing price of Brattinga said: “Ecofun is a project based the Yas island project in Abu Dhabi. Disney on 28 August, Marvel share- holders would receive a total of US$30 per share in cash plus about 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share Six Flags theme park for Nigeria they own, making the transaction value US$50 per Marvel share. The Government of Cross River State of Under the binding agreement, Six Flags Bob Iger, president and chief execu- Nigeria (CRSG) and theme park company will provide concept development and tive of The Walt Disney Company Six Flags have announced plans to develop master planning services to CRSG for the said: “Adding Marvel to our portfolio a Six Flags branded theme park in Calabar creation of a Six Flags branded theme park of brands provides opportunities for Cross River State, as part of the state’s located on about 250 acres (100 hectares) long-term growth and value creation.” ‘Destination Tourism’ development plan. adjacent to Tinapa Business Resort. Once the initial phase is fi nalised, Six Park plans for India Flags and CRSG will collaborate on the detailed design, development, construc- The regional government of the north- tion and management of the park, which is ern Indian state of Haryana is planning scheduled to open in 2013. to build a “world-class”, 58-acre Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross (23.5-hectare) theme park in a bid to River State said: “The Calabar theme park entice more tourists to the region. project will be a signature leisure destina- According to the Press Trust of tion for residents and tourists in the West India, an offi cial spokesman for the African sub-region. It will serve as a critical government said: “The theme park component of the State’s tourism value will be based on international models, chain, guaranteeing additional tourist traf- which are operated worldwide. It will fi c to existing attractions including the boast high-tech attractions and rides Tinapa Resort, Obudu Ranch Resort, and along with state-of-the-art facilities. Six Flags in Destination Tourism plan the Slave Museum.” These would constantly be upgraded.” 14 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 The indoor theme park includes fi ve themed zones SEGA Republic opens in Dubai SEGA Republic, a gaming-themed indoor The Speed Zone features a 9m (30ft) theme park, has opened at The Dubai Mall drop ride called Sonic Hopper, while the in the United Arab Emirates. Adventure Zone centres on a spinning The 76,000sq ft (7,060sq m) attrac- coaster called Spin Gear and the Sports tion, developed by Dubai-based Emaar Zone offers thrill-seekers a snowboarding Retail in association with the Japanese ride called Halfpipe Canyon. SEGA Corporation, comprises fi ve Arif Amiri, CEO of Emaar Retail, said: themed zones: Speed, Adventure, Sports, “SEGA Republic is the fi rst of its kind in the Cyberpop and Redemption. Middle East and it delivers an unmatched, Nine attractions, including Spin Gear, distinctive leisure experience for all visitors.” Sonic Hopper, Halfpipe Canyon, Storm-G The Dubai Mall also houses the and Initial D4, offer visitors more than 150 22-screen megaplex Reel Cinemas, while amusement games. KidZania will open later this year. Kings Dominion to introduce giga-coaster Kings Dominion, a Richmond, Virginia, US-based theme park, is to unveil what will be only the second Giga-coaster in America for its 2010 season. Taking its name from car racing’s Dale ‘The Intimidator’ Earnhardt, Intimidator 305 is a 5,100ft (1554.5m) long steel attraction, which it is reported will be the tallest and fastest of its type on the US east coast. Designed and built by Intamin AG of Switzerland, trains on the US$25m (£15.17m, %17.5m) coaster will reach 305ft (93m) at its highest point, descend A rendering of the new coaster 300ft (91.4m) at an 85 degree angle and hit speeds of over 90mph (145kmh) dur- site’s 15th world-class roller coaster. In ing the three minute ride. Fashioned after addition to Kings Dominion, Cedar Fair Earnhardt’s signature black car, trains will owns and operates 10 other amusement go through six airtime humps plus three parks, six waterparks, one indoor water- high speed turns from start to fi nish. park resort, and fi ve hotels. The company Intimidator 305 will be located in the also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family park’s Congo section and become the Theme Park in Gilroy, California. AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ;dgi]ZbWj[ijiY_[dY[Y[djh[d[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec SCIENCE CENTRE NEWS Hans Gubbels Creating a continiuum The plans include expanding the existing science complex bout fi ve years ago, here at MNM complex to be redeveloped Discovery Center Continiuum, A we picked up the challenge All four attractions within the Muséums facilities and a public exhibit looking at the to transform Industrion – a traditional Nature Montréal (MNM), the largest sci- effects of human behaviour on the planet. industrial museum in the southern ence museum complex in Canada, are Within the centre, a ‘human ecosystem’ part of the Netherlands – into a lively set to benefi t from a CA$189m (£107m, will lead visitors on an excursion above the centre where people of all ages would `120m, US$177m) redevelopment, funded Biodôme’s ecosystems. It will be designed be inspired and would learn and have largely by the city government. as an immersive, moving and hands-on the opportunity to debate on science The seven-year project will begin next experience helping visitors to better under- and technology. Our main focus at the year, with the site’s new Rio Tinto Alcan stand the human race’s role in nature. start was to cooperate with other sci- Planetarium scheduled to be completed The redevelopment is part of MNM’s ence centres and science museums in as part of the fi rst phase in 2012. The plans to allow the four museums to Europe and change our way of work- Biodome and Insectarium will receive increase their combined, total attendance ing from being inward looking to being upgrades, and a new Biodiversity Centre levels from the current 1.65 million visitors interactive and open-minded. will be created to house both research to 2.65 million a year by 2017. We did this with temporary exhi- bitions, programmes and science communication. By doing so, we also New home for Miami Science Museum got involved in the Ecsite network and learned about problems and The Miami Science Museum has received The new museum has been designed successes. After a few years we had planning permission for its new US$275m by British fi rm Grimshaw Architects, with successfully turned Industrion into a (£172m, %188m) home. an aquarium designed by New York-based place for fun, science and debate. Museum Park Miami will be a 40-acre Thinc. Grimshaw’s designs include a three- The next step was extending our park designed for both “active and pas- storey teardrop-shaped structure with a premises and building new perma- sive recreation”, with two museums – The 100ft (30.5m)-wide aquarium at the top. nent exhibitions. Industrion re-opened Miami Museum of Science and the Miami The 250,000sq ft museum will boast a three months ago as Discovery Center Art Museum – as well as lawns, public gar- planetarium, children’s exhibits, travelling Continiuum and we think that we have dens, fountains and pools. science shows and a wildlife centre. built a place for the future, which we plan to regularly update to stay topi- cal. It has become an interesting place Regional Science Centre to open in Mangalore where past, present and future are connected through science, industry Regional Science Centre (RSC) is currently the project hit delays getting planning and society. We hope to inspire our being built in Mangalore, India. approval. It will boast a science park and visitors and engage them in science The attraction will be housed on the fi ve galleries, with bio-diversity, the envi- and, above all, we hope we have cre- Pilikula Nisargadhama – a lake that ronment and energy as the themes. ated a continiuum. already boasts a botanical garden and The project is being funded by the a zoo – at a cost of Rs 8 crore (£1.05m, government and The National Council of Hans Gubbels is the director of `1.15m, US$1.67m). The RSC was ini- Science Museums. The RSC is sched- Discovery Center Continiuum tially supposed to cost Rs 6.5 crore, but uled to open in December 2010. 16 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ;dgi]ZbWj[ijpee WgkWh_kcd[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec ZOO & AQUARIUM NEWS Hotel plans for Columbus Zoo The Phoenix site will be Merlin’s 36th Sea Life worldwide The owners of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, US, are consider- Merlin to open Sea Life in Phoenix ing adding a US$40m (£25m, %27m) onsite hotel to the attraction. Visitor attraction operator Merlin They not only provide an ideal extra ele- According to Ohio’s daily newspa- Entertainments will open a US$15m (£9m, ment for a family shopping day out, but, per, The Columbus Dispatch, the zoo %11m) Sea Life aquarium in Phoenix, more importantly, they drive signifi cant has hired Hotel & Leisure Advisors Arizona early next year. incremental traffi c for our retail partners.” of Cleveland to determine whether a Scheduled to open Easter 2010, the Earlam added that the company is hotel would be profi table on the site. 26,000sq ft aquarium will be located at the actively looking at further expanding its The fi rm said that its success would city’s Mills Mall mixed-use development portfolio of attractions in North America. depend on how creative the hotel and will include 12 different habitat zones Sea Life Phoenix will become Merlin’s is and how well it is marketed as a housing more than 30 display tanks. eighth attraction in the US and the 36th unique resort, complementing the Glenn Earlam, MD of Merlin’s Midway Sea Life aquarium worldwide. zoo, its waterpark and its golf course. Attractions, said: “We’ve proved that “Our development team is reviewing The company also suggested that quality retail and leisure provide an ideal sites across the US in line with our aggres- the hotel have 175 rooms spread over commercial mix for our midway brands. sive growth plans,” he said. three buildings and 25 bungalows. From the start of our company in 1910 we have been reputation of designing and producing exceptional quality, Hypsos is a global design and specialised in effective 3D communications that positively managed and delivered with care. We have a global fabrication company with 200+ influence the attitudes of our clients’ audiences. Today we perspective that brings new insights to both local and professionals working from are an international company creating content based multinational projects. We take advantage of the efficiency offices in 5 different countries. exhibitions, world expo pavilions and visitor attractions. and flexibility of worldwide connections but we make sure the importance of a personal presence is never lost. As we have grown, we have taken on more of the unusual, the never-done-before, and have successfully built our Please visit www.hypsos.com or call us at +31 346 35 75 00. london / amsterdam / moscow / dubai / hong kong ;dgi]ZbWj[ijmWj[hfWhad[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec WATERPARK NEWS Aleatha Ezra The world’s largest Aussie World will not be redeveloped as a Wet‘n’Wild park swimming lesson Roadshow drops Aussie World plans As part of its continuing commitment to “building water awareness one Australian theme park operator Village plans for the nearby AUS$110m (£53.5m, kid at a time,” the WWA, with part- Roadshow has abandoned plans to US$105.7m, `67.6m) Adventura Waterpark ners the Association of Pool & Spa acquire Aussie World on the Sunshine back on track. The scheme for the state-of- Professionals, the National Recreation Coast and develop the site into a the-art waterpark has been planned for fi ve and Park Association, the International Wet‘n’Wild water park at the site. years and would be located close to Aussie Swimming Hall of Fame and others, The company submitted a development World, opposite Sunshine Coast turf Club plans to launch the World’s Largest application in May 2008 for the AUD$70m on Caloundra Road. Swimming Lesson in June 2010. (£34m, US$67m, `43m) Wet‘n’Wild Aussie Adventura Waterpark’s Damian Brown The project’s goal is to unite the World, but has now decided not to buy. said recently: “It’s very clear residents of the nation’s most infl uential water-safety While the announcement is a disap- Sunshine Coast want Adventura Waterpark organisations in the implementation of pointment for Aussie World, it could put to happen sooner rather than later.” the event at the beginning of the 2010 swimming season to build awareness about the vital importance of learning to swim to prevent drowning of chil- Work begins on dren aged one- to 14-years-old. Consider these sobering statistics Waves of Fun from the Center for Disease Control: six people drown in US pools every Construction work on the US$20m day and four times as many people (£12m, %14m) Waves of Fun water almost drown. Statistics in Europe are park in Sandwich, Illinois, US, is just as troubling – the World Health underway, thanks to funding being Organisation reports that in Europe, secured from a new lender. The park will include extreme-style slides drowning results in 38,000 deaths a The 45,000sq ft (4,180sq m) indoor year and is the third leading cause of attraction will feature a wave pool, a Ottawa waterpark death in fi ve- to 14-year-olds. 500ft (152m) lazy river, Body Glove to open next year The good news is that drowning Waves SurfStream surf simulator sup- deaths are usually preventable. The plied by American Wave Machines, A new CAD$45m (£25.2m, %28.6m, World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, two speed slides and two tube slides. US$41.6m) waterpark in Ottawa, Canada is should generate local and national There will also be an interactive to open in June 2010. press attention about the importance water play structure with a 1,000-gal- The Calypso Waterpark is the brainchild of teaching kids to swim with, hope- lon tipping bucket and 50 different of Quebec City businessman Guy Drouin, fully, events at 100 different facilities at water activities aimed at children. and will boast extreme-style waterslides, a synchronised time around the globe. A Hawaiian-themed restaurant with a 4,645sq m wave pool, a jungle river, a To get involved, contact Aleatha a whirlpool for up to 25 people and a beach and restaurants. The park will be Ezra at [email protected] 2,500sq ft arcade (230sq m) will over- able to host 12,000 visitors each day. Aleatha Ezra is the membership manager look the waterpark. The park was initially meant to open this of the World Waterpark Association The attraction is scheduled to open year, but, according to The Ottawa Citizen, to the public in March 2010. was delayed by bad weather. 18 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ;dgi]ZbWj[ij]Wbb[hod[mik^h^immm$WjjhWYj_edicWdW][c[dj$Yec GALLERY NEWS The gallery’s future was secured by an ACE grant Interactive gallery opens at The Public The interactive art gallery at The Public in being run by a specially set up not-for-profi t West Bromwich, UK, has fi nally opened. company called Sandwell Arts Trust. A £3m (%3.3m, $4.8m) one-off grant from Designed by architects Will Alsop, The Arts Council England (ACE) has funded Public’s future had been under scrutiny completion of the arts complex. after the council revealed that its annual The gallery has faced fi nancial diffi culties running costs had doubled since it partially following a doubling of annual running costs opened to the public in June 2008. since its partial opening in June 2008. ACE had originally announced that it A new business plan submitted to ACE was to withdraw fi nancial support for The by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Public due to delays in opening the venue’s (SMBC) and Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT) interactive art gallery after the company secured the emergency funding package, responsible for creating it, Public Gallery and the completed arts complex is now Ltd, entered administration earlier this year. New arts gallery planned for Leicester A new £2.4m (%2.6m, $3.9m) public arts the new building at the council-owned site gallery is set to be built on the site of a on New Walk, which have been drawn former nursery in Leicester, UK, to replace up by Marsh Grochowski Architects and the existing City Gallery if the proposals are Focus Consultants UK. given the green light by the local authority. The council has already agreed to Leicester City Council’s (LCC) cabinet replace the City Gallery with a new venue will decide whether to approve plans for in the existing nursery building, but will now be asked to approve the construction of the new building to replace City Gallery, which is due to close when its lease expires in February 2010. It’s expected that construction of the venue, which is scheduled to open in spring 2011, will be funded mainly by LCC, as well as a £120,000 (%131,600, $193,000) contribution from Arts Council England. Nick Gordon, managing curator of col- lections and interpretation at LCC, said: “The architects who have designed the new building have a national reputation for The gallery will open to the public in 2011 their work on galleries and the arts.” AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 19 PROFILE CHIP CLEARY The recession, swine fl u, bad weather and new legislation are among the issues facing Chip Cleary, as he takes over as chair of IAAPA. Rather than being daunted by this, Cleary tells Kathleen Whyman why he looks forward to dealing with these challenges and is optimistic each day will be a sparkling one t’s going to be a tough year for many of our members,” admits “IChip Cleary when I ask about his forthcoming appointment as chair of IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions). Cleary takes over at the IAAPA Expo in Las Vegas in November. “This isn’t a great time compared to last year, which was dynamic,” he continues, “but I’m an optimist. IAAPA’s been groomed for many years to stand the challenges that are out there and I’m confi dent that it’ll be a great end to the season for our members.” CHALLENGING TIMES This is comforting to hear, as there have been quite a few challenges this year. “Depending on where you are in the world, the swine fl u has been a disaster,” agrees Cleary. “Six Flags in Mexico shut down and some parks in Texas saw damage – or something very scary that brushed past their park. So far [at the time of going to press], the US hasn’t been affected too much, but that could change in the fall, as we’re told the swine fl u could come back worse. In the US, the weather’s been the big story in a lot of regions,” he continues. “It’s been the most challenging to the industry I’ve seen in many years. Then there’s the recession on top of that. Many of us have had to turn our game plan upside down, from adding value to ticketing programmes to doing very selected discounting to make sure we’re tuned into our guests.” With 30 years’ experience in the amuse- ment industry, and as senior vice president È@=PFLK?@EBK?<8KKI8:K@FEJ@E;LJKIP for Palace Entertainment’s US business, Cleary knows what he’s talking about. And ?8J 20 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 municating with guests online, to using WATER RAPIDS Cleary is fascinated with the rapid rise of technology in the park to tell stories and The rapid evolution of the industry fasci- the waterpark sector, which has evolved do things better,” he says. “When we were nates Cleary, particularly in the waterpark since he opened Splish Splash in 1991 kids, we’d meet up at amusement parks sector. “Twenty years ago, waterparks were and hang out with our friends and that was very small and have blossomed into rides which lives in water and, if swallowed, can how we communicated. Now one person that people wouldn’t have imagined could cause gastroenteritis – see P34) and the can Twitter something and within 20 hours exist,” he says. “When I got into the indus- Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Act the whole world is exposed to that. We live try, you grabbed a tube or walked up the has been enforced to reduce the number in a different era,” he continues. “But the tower, came down the slide and landed in of suction entrapment incidents, injuries industry has always reinvented itself when the pool. That’s still a great experience, but and deaths (see P62). “No-one should the ebb and fl ow of society has created now we have slides which people go down ever get hurt on a drain grate,” says Cleary different demands on us. As long as we do in the dark and gravity-defying rides where grimly. “There have been some devas- our jobs right and migrate to different sys- people go backwards uphill. Behind the tating incidents over the years. The law, tems, we’ll be OK. A lot of parks are already scene technology has grown tremendously. the implementation, the timeline and the doing this with blogs and using Twitter to We’re doing things with water I’d have said expense of it caught the US industry off communicate to the kids.” Cleary thinks were impossible 10 years ago.” Cleary’s guard, as it came about so fast. It’s a very we’re far from seeing the end of change. “If enthusiasm grows as he speaks. “There big project, in many cases requiring opera- you think it’s evolved quickly in the last few doesn’t seem to be a limit as to what can be tors to break up the bottom of their pool years, fasten your seat belts,” he smiles. done out there if you have the imagination. and put in different types of grids and “It’s going to evolve a lot faster in the future.” Waterparks have morphed into hotels and drainage systems. But you can’t ever com- As chair of IAAPA, Cleary plans to in some cases there are indoor waterparks promise on safety.” ensure members are well equipped for under a dome standalone to the hotel. We the forthcoming changing trends. Another haven’t seen the amount of variations that PARK PROGRESS priority job is “making sure the I in IAAPA can come out of that. It’s a whole new fron- As senior vice president of Palace really does stand for international.” Our tier and look how fast it’s happened!” Entertainment’s 32 parks in the US – “my European offi ce is growing and solidify- As with the rest of the industry pallet is now a little bit waterparks, a little ing and he’s keen for the Asian Advisory though, the waterpark sector has had bit rock ‘n’ roll rollercoasters” – Cleary Board in Macau to do the same. This will its challenges. New legislation has been oversees theme parks as well as water- be helped by the appointment of a South introduced in the US to help prevent parks and is equally impressed with American representative. Cryptosporidium (a microscopic parasite developments in this sector. “There’s great AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 21 PROFILE Rides like the FlowRider show how high- ABOUT CHIP CLEARY tech waterparks have become. Cleary predicts they’ll be evolving even more Hobbies? the world were probably Future plans? I’ve been a model train replacing chair backs as For our organisation storytelling in rides,” he says. “The Toy collector since 1957. a result of that scene. to be one per cent Story ride Disney did recently is cutting My train layout is about better every day. edge imagination. Look at the advance- 36ft long and 8ft wide. How would others ment of rollercoasters in the last fi ve describe you? Why are you called years – it’s just amazing. We’ll continue to Favourite food? A happy person, who tries Chip when your see evolution of the product. Somewhere, Seafood and world to make others happy. name’s James? somebody in the world is working on a food experiences. I was named James after completely new concept; a great vision.” How would you my dad. He wanted me Cleary had his own great vision and Favourite fi lm? describe yourself? to be a baseball player concept almost 20 years ago. This resulted Jaws. I grew up on Long I challenge people to and thought Chip Cleary in Splish Splash waterpark, which Cleary Island, which has a lot of greatness, but have a would sound good over opened on Long Island, New York, in 1991 big fi sh around it. No one laugh along the way. an announcement, so and which is regularly noted as one of the will ever forget sitting in I’ve always been called top attractions in the US on The Travel the movie theatre when Best piece of advice Chip. The name’s served Show. Cleary and his partners sold Splish the shark came out of the you’ve received? me well, but I was the Splash to Palace Entertainment in 1999. water for the fi rst time. Attitude is everything worst little leaguer the “At the time, many companies were consoli- Movie theatres all over in life. world’s ever seen. dating. We were approached by a number of people about selling our business,” he recalls. “At fi rst we thought no, but there sector through our aquatics and zoos divi- at college in Florida, but was enamoured were many benefi ts for us and our partners, sion. Between our team members in Spain, by the scale and scope of Walt Disney so we decided to go. The doorbell rang a where our corporate headquarters are World, which was being built nearby. A few times and we fi nally answered it.” located, and our team members in the US, “happy coming together of many things” In 2008, Palace Entertainment merged we have a nice international organisation led to Cleary starting work in 1978 at with Parques Reunidos. “That’s been going. It’s defi nitely a world family – we Adventureland on Long Island. “I never another wonderful experience because learn from each other on a daily basis.” looked back,” he says. “It’s been a privi- now we’re a worldwide company,” says Cleary’s catchphrase is “have a spar- lege to serve our guests and, now, to get Cleary. “We’re very strong in the European kling day”, a saying he’s used since joining elected by my peers to this position in sector (Parques Reunidos has 68 parks) the attractions industry. He’d originally IAAPA. If I could wear a t-shirt that said ‘it’s and have a good presence in the animal trained to work in the television industry been a privilege’, I would.” ● 22 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 tel: +44 (0)1384 295733 email: [email protected] TALKING POINT everybody’s talking about HOW CAN AWARENESS OF FREE ADMISSION TO MUSEUMS BE INCREASED? QThe UK’s Natural History Museum has welcomed its 25 millionth visitor since December 2001, when the admission charge was removed. But, despite the huge role all free museums can play during the economic downturn, only 45 per cent of Britons know entry to the NHM is free. Kathleen Whyman asks the experts why they think this is and what can be done to rectify it The report, Free to see – but what ate national awareness would be massive SPOKESPERSON next?, also reveals that even if and we don’t have the resources to achieve Department of Culture, people don’t regularly visit muse- this. Much of our marketing activity is Media and Sport ums themselves, they feel free weighted towards supporting income-gen- admission is valuable to society as erating activity, such as paid-for temporary a whole and that free admission exhibitions. When we open major new is highly valued and important in permanent galleries or wings, which are of making public ownership of the course free to enter, we put a lot of market- t’s both surprising and disappointing nation’s art real in people’s minds. ing spend behind them and we also put I that there isn’t greater awareness of The policy of introducing free admission the full PR machine into gear, which gener- the free admission policy. It’s widely was just a fi rst step to ensuring greater ates a lot of awareness. Our Darwin Centre promoted by the DCMS, VisitBritain and access to the national collections. At the opened in September and one of the key the free museums themselves. same time, our sponsored museums have messages is that it’s free. On the positive side, our fi gures show also been providing targeted programmes We’re seeing ever-growing visitor num- that the policy has been very successful and activities to bring in visitors who may bers to the museum. At a time of economic in the most important area: the number of not have taken the opportunity to visit uncertainty, museums offer an inspiring visits is up by 124 per cent since the intro- museums before. and free day out for the broadest spectrum duction of the policy in 2001. This research of society, and the value of this suggests that there’s clearly scope to pub- cannot be underestimated. The licise the policy further and bring it to the DR MICHAEL funding that we receive from gov- attention of many more people. Along with DIXON ernment enables the museum to the national museums themselves, we’ll continue free admission, so this Director need to consider how best to make more Natural History Museum will always be of the most impor- people aware of free museums. tance in encouraging access to Lack of awareness that museums are the museum for the widest public. free isn’t necessarily a barrier to visit- As well as offering visitors a ing. Recent research published by the ince general admission charges fascinating day out at no cost, the Natural Art Fund and the Work Foundation found S were removed eight years ago, History Museum has a much wider role to that, despite the removal of admission we’ve seen our visitor fi gures more play in the recession. The museum is an fees, other barriers remain which prevent than double – reaching 3.7million last year internationally important visitor attraction people from visiting galleries and muse- – but it’s astonishing so many people don’t – up to 40 per cent of our visitors are from ums, including a lack of knowledge about know we’re free. We hadn’t realised it until oversees. That helps support London’s the art on display and a sense of being we conducted an online omnibus survey. tourist economy and encourages oversees intimidated by the buildings themselves. The marketing spend required to gener- visitors to spend their money locally. 24 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 How do you think awareness can be increased? Share your views – email [email protected] work harder to attract people from What the industry needs to know is to MARK TAYLOR all sides of society. what extent pricing is a driver of some- Director Lack of awareness of free entry one’s propensity to visit a museum or Museum Association isn’t as much of a barrier as lack similar attraction. For some groups of of funding is. There will always be people, pricing may be a more prominent people who don’t know museums driver of deciding whether or not to visit are free. The number of visitors such an attraction, while for other profi les, to national museums has almost different factors will have a stronger corre- was very surprised by the research. doubled since they went free and some are lation with this decision to visit. I Most people I know seem to know at bursting point. If funding’s cut, they may There may be little point investing in about free admission. In fact, I spend not be able to cope, quality of service may marketing activity to raise awareness when much of my time patiently telling them not drop and they may have to charge. some sub-groups of the intended target all museums are free. Forty-fi ve percent of Any argument that free entry devalues audience are never going to be interested Britons is a large number, but you have to the product is an odd concept. After all, we or motivated to visit a museum or gallery, remember that the fact a museum in South don’t say that about schools, parks, the irrespective of whether or not it’s free. Kensington, albeit a national museum, is National Health Service or roads! Segmentation analysis would be useful free, isn’t of the greatest concern to many here, identifying sub-groups of people in, say, the north east of Scotland. potential target audiences within I’m sure lack of knowledge about free JEN FRASER the population of people who are entry must apply to UK museums in Associate director currently unaware of free admis- general, depending on how good the mar- and head of sport sions. The purpose would be to keting and publicity of a local museum is. and culture research identify those segments where I have no doubt that there are examples Ipsos MORI effort and resource should be pri- where the fact that a museum is free is oritised and is most likely to result known to most people. in increased visits. The publicity for free entry to national orryingly, given the initial impact Once target groups are identifi ed, it may museums was extensive when admission W the free admissions policy be useful to conduct qualitative research to charges were removed in 2001 and the appeared to have on visiting test out potential marketing messages and marketing of these museums is very pro- behaviour (ie increased visits), current lev- campaigns related to free admissions. fessional. I’m guessing there’s a correlation els of awareness of the scheme is reported Different types of people take notice between those who don’t know the muse- to have decreased, with 45 per cent of the of and react differently to various forms ums are free and those who are disinclined British adult population saying they don’t of advertising and marketing materials so to visit museums in the fi rst place. This is know that it’s free to visit museums (these a ‘one shoe fi ts all’ approach to raising another example of how museums need to fi gures are not provided by Ipsos MORI). awareness is going to be of little benefi t. ● AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 25 NEW OPENING Launched in 2006 as a comic book, The 99 superheroes were conceived as positive role models. Their success has led to a chain of theme parks being rebranded and renamed after them Creating positive Muslim HERO characters was the inspiration for The 99 superheroes, whose WORSHIP attributes include mercy and wisdom. The comic books are now so popular they’ve spawned a TV series and a theme park in Kuwait, with plans to take the concept worldwide, as Kathleen Whyman learns he 99 may seem unusual superheroes, with their mes- civilisation.” So far 23 characters have been created, with plans to sages of harmony and love. However, their attributes launch more as and when the need arises. “If I’m asked to speak in – including generosity, mercy and wisdom – are celebrated Russia, I’ll launch a Russian character!” he says. the world over and have been embraced internationally. The 99 is rapidly going global. In July, a collaboration between TSuccessful comic books about The 99 were created by Kuwait- DC Comics in the US with Teshkeel Media Group (TMG) means born Dr Naif Al-Mutawa, whose motivation was to build something that the West’s biggest comic book icons, including Superman, for his children to look up to – “I was driven by a need to create Batman and Wonder Woman, will be teaming up with the 99 super- new heroes that wouldn’t disappoint,” he says. heroes. Also, a 26-part tv series is being worked on by production While training as a psychologist in the Survivors of Political company Endemol – the Dutch company that made the reality Torture programme in New York, he worked with “too many people tv show, Big Brother – which will be released in 2010 in English who’d grown up idolising their leader only to fi nd themselves later and Arabic. Negotiations are currently underway with a number on being tortured by them”. He says: “What kind of message are we of television companies to air the show. And China has shown its sending our kids about what it means to be a hero and what they allegiance to The 99 too – a deal was signed in August with mobile can aspire to? The 99 offers messages of tolerance and peace.” comic content company Keeta for developing and distributing The 99 throughout the People’s Republic of China. THE ORIGINS OF THE 99 Having written a series of children’s books in 1997 – including To THE STORY BEHIND THE 99 Bounce or not to Bounce, a story about understanding cultural diver- sity, which won an award from UNESCO, Al-Mutawa combined his Legend states that in 1258, the Mongolians invaded Baghdad writing skills with the messages he wanted to convey. He founded and all the books in the library got thrown into the Tigris River, Teshkeel Media Group (which now also distributes Arabic versions of which changed colour. In the comic book version, the library Marvel comics) and wrote Origins about The 99 teenage superhe- curators gather the books before the Mongolian invaders roes battling the forces of evil. The fi rst 10 characters, led by mentor have a chance to get them. They transfer all the accumulated Dr Ramzi Razem, were created at random. The subsequent charac- history and knowledge of the library books onto 99 mystical ters were given a lot more thought. “We got lucky in that the world gemstones, which are scattered all over the world. took us seriously – more seriously than we took ourselves,” smiles The young superheroes of The 99 come from a range of Al-Mutawa. “For example, when I was invited to speak in Egypt, I backgrounds. Each discovers one of the hidden gems and launched the Egyptian member of The 99. He’s called Everlasting. then takes on one the attributes of that gem. I chose that attribute because Egypt’s the longest lasting piece of The heroes then have to act together to save the world using their new powers. Other members of The 99 are dis- covered as the comic’s plotline progresses. The 99 Village Theme Park in Jahra, Kuwait, is the fi rst of at least six parks planned using the comic book heroes as the theming and inspiration AM 2 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 27 TITLENEW OPENING LAUNCHING THE PARK Fans can now get the superheroes experience fi rst © 2008 TMG hand at The 99 Village Theme Park in Kuwait. Opened ® ® in March, and the fi rst of six parks planned, the park is a TM joint venture between TMG and United Entertainment & Tourism Company (UETC). Chair and CEO of UETC, Adel Omoor, had seen regular reports of TMG’s progress and was impressed by the global media coverage the brand was receiving. “We were looking to update our exist- ing six parks and I could see that incorporating The 99 brand would attract visitors and add value,” he says. In November 2007, UETC approached TMG and Al-Mutawa was asked to present a conceptual theme park proposal for UETC’s park in Jahra, 30 minutes-drive from Kuwait City: “We suddenly became special because we’re one of the only companies around which hasn’t been signed up 99SacrificeCover1.indd 1 for Dubai,” he comments. “We’re small and easy to work with and go into places the big boys probably wouldn’t.” Renamed The 99 Village Park, all rides have been branded to fi t The 99 concept. Graphics, light boxes featuring the comic books, information on the characters, the heroes walking around the park and a stage show complete the experience, 10/3/08 4:40:32 PM which is aimed at families with children from four- to 12-years-old. Omoor is aware that it’s more of a local park than a destina- The 99 will soon be teaming up with tion, with the majority of visitors coming from Jahra and Kuwait City the west’s comic book heroes and an estimated attendance of 200,000 visitors a year. An advan- tage of this is that the park hasn’t been affected by the economic climate, which is affecting the rest of the world. “We have visi- identify up to another fi ve UETC parks to be rebranded with The 99 tors from within Kuwait and Saudi Arabia regularly visiting The 99 concept over the next fi ve years. “We have the potential to become Village. These countries haven’t been greatly affected by the reces- the most prominent operator in the MENA region,” says Omoor. sion, therefore we’ve seen a steady stream of visitors,” he explains. Al-Mutawa is equally excited about The 99 theme park concept. “People tend to visit amusement parks often as they’re the only “I’m in talks with a potential partner in Saudi about opening a cou- source of entertainment. The 99 Village isn’t a premium park and ple of parks from scratch,” he says. “They’d be bigger investments the prices are affordable to all.” Entrance to the park is KD0.25 and we’d license our characters rather than being involved with (£0.54, %0.61, US$0.87) on weekdays and KD 0.50 at weekends. the investment side.” Currently Al-Mutawa is raising a third round Visitors then pay to go on each ride, which cost from KD0.25 to of fi nancing to close by summer 2012. “Part of the strategy is to KD1.00 (£2.14, %2.44, $3.48). Omoor hopes the park will become a do what we did at The 99 Village to a couple of bigger parks that regular outing for most visitors, both as a source of entertainment UETC owns,” he says. TMG has also had interest from an indoor and from a sporting and educational perspective. School fairs, park that’s keen to have a corner dedicated to The 99 in each of its science competitions, musical shows, family fi tness days, competi- 12 indoor parks in the Gulf. “There will defi nitely be more activity in tions, history days, treasure hunts and musical shows will become the next year, whether as standalones or as part of a complex.” regular features as well as fashion shows and celebrity visits. Omoor also plans to develop the 30,000sq m (323,000sq ft) park SENSIBLE STRATEGY FOR GROWTH at Jahra by opening new rides specifi cally designed around The 99 Al-Mutawa has been careful from the start not to over-stretch and building an indoor facility with a bowling alley and pool. himself fi nancially or devote time and energy to a project that’s Feasibility and diligence studies are currently being conducted to not going to come to fruition. “I didn’t want to be vulnerable,” he explains. “There’s no point having the nicest park in the world that TMG AND UETC’S PARTNERSHIP goes out of business because too much money was put into it and it didn’t match the expected visitors. That’s not good for anybody. UETC signed a memorandum of understanding with We’re in one of the most conservative spaces in Kuwait, a few miles TMG granting newly-formed company United Real Estate south of Iraq. The investment has to be fi tting to the potential popu- Teshkeelian Company (URETC) a six-year option to build other lation and the risks involved. This shouldn’t stop us developing in parks or rebrand existing UETC amusement parks into THE 99 these areas, but developments must make an economic return.” Village theme parks. As part of the joint venture partnership, Al-Mutawa is very excited about the announcement from DC TMG has acquired equity ownership in the Jahra Park, from Comics that Superman and Batman will be in the same series as UETC. The assets of the amusement park have been trans- The 99. “That’s incredible for us,” he says. “I’d like to see this as a ferred to URETC, of which TMG and UETC are the owners. As global concept, as an example of social entrepreneurship. Yes, it’s well as the equity provided by TMG’s investment in URETC, a for-profi t venture, but there are a lot of social messages involved. TMG will receive a continuing royalty on each park’s revenues. I want kids to learn these messages and the journey it took to get there and to believe that they can do something too.” ● 28 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 2 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Project: Himmelskibet (Star Flyer), NEW THRILLING Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark Architect Designer / FAMILY ATTRACTIONS Project Manager: Jonathan Gress Wright See us at Lighting Design: Focus our IAAPA Lighting Inc. Major High Ropes stands 2512 course provides high and 2516 level thrills and a progressive, structured challenge with family and friends. From only 5 years old. The Coconut Tree Climb is an attention grabbing, fully themed attraction, popular with children and available for outdoor, indoor or mobile operation. Available now from Innovative Leisure +44 (0)116 2887263 Email: [email protected] See more at www.innovativeleisure.co.uk money counters & sorters Changing much more than colour A COMPLETE RANGE OF OUTDOOR LIGHTING SOLUTIONS Martin dynamic lighting for Himmelskibet (Star Flyer) – the world’s tallest swing carousel – evokes Leisure and Gaming have been counting on Cummins the movement and excitement of the ride itself, coin counters and sorters for over 20 years. Reliability, accuracy and a nationwide network of creating a defining symbol for Copenhagen and Cummins service and support continue to make Tivoli Gardens. Cummins machines the customer choice. > Jetsort high speed coin counter/sorters Martin programmable high-tech luminaires open up > Jetcount note counters all new possibilities for modern theme park design. > Jetscan mixed note scanners MMINS > A great range of desktop counter/sorters U UK C Our extensive distributor network guarantees S W > Scales & more - we’ve got it all, just call! A I L D immediate product availability and support in E E S countries around the globe. & 0800 018 6484 S K E R R O V W IC T E E SU T N PPOR For more information on dynamic lighting applications contact Martin: www.cumminsallison.co.uk www.martin.com MYSTERY SHOPPER MILLIPEDES, SPIDERS AND BEETLES ARE THE STARS AT THE NEWLY OPENED BUGWORLD EXPERIENCE IN LIVERPOOL, UK. CONTINUUM’S JULIANA DELANEY OVERCOMES HER PHOBIA TO VISIT THE ATTRACTION INSECTS APPEAL he fi rst thing to mention is that this is my nightmare assignment. I hate T anything that has more than four legs or, even worse, has no legs and a slith- ery wet underbelly. So why on earth did I agree to visit BugWorld Experience in Liverpool, I ask myself, as with only one foot through the door, I meet a bright young member of staff suggesting I eat a giant South American ant. “It has been baked over a mud fi re by Native Americans,” he adds gleefully, as he proffers the fat, black, multi- legged beastie for my delectation. bit of creative design work has gone into young man with the ant snacks, a snip THE BACKGROUND the attraction’s new branded logo which at £1 ($1.65, %1.17) each, gets everyone BugWorld Experience is a brand new has been used widely, from the entrance laughing within minutes. Reception staff 12,000sq ft (1,115sq m) exhibition concept area through the exhibition, into the retail are young and enthusiastic, and are all on which opened in Liverpool’s Albert Dock area and on the merchandise. The same great form on the day of my visit, indicating on 1 July 2009. Given an investment by brand has been used to build a strong strong management behind the scenes. its Dublin based backers, Rogers Group outdoor poster campaign that grabs the The fi rst part of the visit is a seven Investments, of just under £4m (US$6.6m, attention of people driving into the city. minute high quality fi lm, fi lled with large- E4.7m), a plethora of industry big names BugWorld achieves a strong street pres- scale imagery of colourful insects and were brought in to bring to life this family- ence both in the city and the dock. This is wittily narrated by Craig Charles. A friendly, branded attraction concept which, vital in attracting passing trade from the 35-seater fi lm theatre show provides a clas- forgive the pun, clearly has legs. millions who visit Liverpool’s tourist area, sic start to the visitor journey and it delivers Deep in a dark corner of the Albert as there’s so much to see and do here. nicely for the mixed age audience ranging Docks, a cheerful, multi-coloured souvenir from three-year-olds to grandparents. shop-cum-entrance now attracts the visitor. THE OFFER Then it’s out into the exhibition proper. It neatly fi lls a glass-fronted, double height Visitor interactivity starts straight away Again the cheerful colour palette, the former retail unit where a lifestyle furniture at BugWorld Experience. Two 6ft (1.8m) strong branding and the themed set- store once sold white leather sofas. A great animatronic insects beckon, and that dressing all combine to present a high BUGWORLD EXPERIENCE Address: Albert Dock, Liverpool, UK Tel: +44 (0)151 7039390 www.bugworldexperience.co.uk Opening hours: 10.00am – 6.00pm Prices: Adult £10.95 Child (5–14) £6.25 Child (under 4) Free Concessions £8.25 Family £30.00 Guide book £3.50 Last admission one hour before closing time. The Water Zone (above) is one of seven zones at the BugWorld Experience 30 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 MYSTERY SHOPPER BugWorld staff help visitors get up close and personal to the 36 species of bug, including giant millipedes (above) quality look and feel. However, all of this is merely a backdrop to the stars them- selves; the creepy crawlies. Anticipating my squeamishness, I took along a col- league, Continuum’s fi nancial director, Andrew Pawson. True to form he was more than comfortable getting to grips with the giant centipede, praying mantis and vari- BugWorld Experience has wisely invested tion of its own with a view to populating ous other bugs which, out of their cages heavily in computer interactives to compen- urban spaces with BugWorlds elsewhere. and offered up by chatty staff, are there for sate for the shy, sleepy or elusive creatures. After all, management advisors to the site visitors to get close up and personal with. The target audience for the attraction is are ex Vardon, Sea Life Centres and Grant Clearly my fi nancial director is used to young children with their families, and for Leisure, so roll-outs are in their DNA, mak- dealing with slippery customers. them it delivers an enjoyable visit with an ing the intentions fairly transparent. Good management ensures staff inter- element of educational content. action levels are met, but no modern VALUE FOR MONEY management techniques can get a criti- RETAIL Headline admission is high at £10.95 ($18, cally endangered Partula Snail out of his Very quickly the visitor is returned back to %13) as the length of visit, even with tod- house, a Mexican Red Knee Tarantula the cheery gift shop and it would take a lot dlers in tow, is a modest 35-40 minutes. into the spotlight or a small colony of ants to steer children away from the cute and This raises questions over perceived value to spread themselves around their grand cuddly furry toys. Even my fi nancial direc- for money, recommendation and repeat new display if they don’t feel like it. Which tor is moved to buy a £15 ($25, %18) fl uffy visit levels. The ad campaign, coupled with of course creates the greatest challenge bumblebee for his tiny daughter. a local PR campaign, has attracted a thin in presenting animals as the show – they BugWorld Experience’s owners could be stream of visitors, but I expected it to have don’t always do what visitors want. Hence lining this concept up for a bit of procrea- produced a queue by midday, mid-week of AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 31 TITLEMYSTERY SHOPPER Æ>iÉh\d^c\idWZY^[ÒXjai \Zii^c\i]ZcjbWZghi]gdj\] i]ZYddg!i]Zc\Zii^c\i]Zb idgZijgcV[iZgi]Z^c^i^Va]neZ Y^ZhYdlc#6]^\]i^X`Zieg^XZ VcYVhiZVYnhigZVbd[k^h^idgh ^hVhZch^WaZVeegdVX]Ç the fi rst week of the summer school holi- BugWorld is made up of days and in the fi rst month of opening. seven zones, in which visitors can meet and learn LOCATION about insects from differ- The Albert Docks may be a destination ent parts of the world for coach groups, but they head straight for the big-brand Beatles Story close by of a team of retailers, edu- or just wander. With the Tate, the Maritime cationalists, and operators Museum and the other Liverpool Museums as well as management close by, plus an additional and very nice advisors backed by out- new 4D Beatles theatre (see Attractions sourced marketing and PR Management Q3 09) at the Pier Head, the contracts, but it worked for competition for day trippers is huge. The Merlin, so why not here? local family market, the best market for The PR puff claims BugWorld, is less likely to fi nd themselves it’s the fi rst of its kind in the Albert Dock by chance and will be in the UK. The theme diffi cult to attract into a typical tourist zone. is – the style of presenta- It’s going to be tough getting the num- tion isn’t. It claims that the site has a real be it. BugWorld Experience, already trade bers through the doors, then getting them buzz and there’s nowhere else in Britain marked, is based on existing successful to return after the initial hype dies down. where young scientists can get up close operations in the US, Canada and France. Nor will the site accommodate a volume to insects like this. In reality, it gently hums Overall I liked BugWorld Experience but throughput. So a high ticket price and a rather than buzzes and isn’t unique, as the I just don’t think it offers anything unique or steady stream is a sensible approach. Liverpool Museum down the road offers a different in its core visitor offer. It doesn’t similar hands-on-experience for free. go beyond expectations to deliver the next MY OPINION Will it work elsewhere? In the right urban level of visitor experience. And I don’t think The over-critical might point to the thin con- setting, probably yes. Kids love insects it has repeat visit appeal. To get visitors tent overall and the high cost of staffi ng a and parents love to please their kids. The going out as ambassadors, the overall heavily interactive attraction. They might owner investor has made the right move package needs greater depth and to offer question how the offer can be refreshed in bringing in operational experts; sooner or greater value for money -- it needs the wow a way which brings in a marketable new- later a branded roll out and competitor to factor that sharks add to an aquarium or ness annually. They could probe the cost Sealife was going to emerge and this could baby polar bears add to a zoo. ● RIGHT TO REPLY KEITH THOMAS, DIRECTOR, PETERSHAM GROUP The BugWorld Experience is key to ensure customer expec- the setting for the BugWorld %1,100m) Liverpool One shop- a high quality visitor attrac- tations have been met. Experience, was actively cho- ping centre, £154m ($251m, tion, which has been extremely Since launch, continuous sen by owners RGI because of %178m) Echo Arena and popular since its launch in July, market research has shown the seven million visitors it wel- Convention Centre, the Cruise meeting all visitor number and an average visitor dwell time comes every year. Liner Terminal, and the soon revenue targets. of 75 to 80 minutes, with Liverpool is a leading des- to be launched £64m ($104m, The attraction is a compact some visitors spending nearly tination which fi gures third on %74m) Museum of Liverpool. 1,200sq m (13,000sf ft) and three hours in the attraction. the UK’s most visited city list. Based on this successful has an instantaneous capacity Customer feedback has been The city is constantly grow- outcome, RGI is actively seek- of 180 people, so managing excellent and the attraction ing and over the last few years ing further locations for the demand whilst maintaining has exceeded visitor expecta- has seen major investment BugWorld Experience brand in operating standards has been tions. Liverpool’s Albert Dock, including the £950m ($1,550m, other cities and countries. 32 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 www.5d-int.com OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD Fairmont Aquatic Center was one of six pools affected in Salt Lake County THE CRYPTO FACTOR What would you do if a large segment of your visitors were banned from your attraction? Waterpark operators can learn from marketing and PR manager Martin Jensen, Visitor levels at the pool are now back who tells Kathleen Whyman what happened at Utah’s to normal, but some days no one Fairmont Aquatic Center following an outbreak of crypto came for a swim during the ban What happened? We’d raise it to ten parts per million for chlorinate every night. We did everything In the summer of 2007 there was an out- eight hours as soon as the pool closed. we could, but the public needed to do break of cryptosporidium, or crypto. As a We’d monitor it overnight and then get the their part too by taking a cleansing shower result, a state ban on children under-fi ve in pool back down to two parts per million in before they got in the water and if they public swimming pools in eight northern time for the morning’s opening. were sick to not swim for two weeks after Utah counties was imposed from the fi rst the diarrhoea had passed. week of September 2007 to January 2008. How did this affect you? Cryptosporidium is a water-born illness The extra chemicals and chlorine were How were visitor numbers affected? caused by microscopic parasites. When very expensive. Every time we did it, it cost Our numbers reduced signifi cantly dur- someone swallows water contaminated an extra $300 (£180, %204) and we were ing the ban. In Fairmont we lost $70,000 with crypto they have violent diarrhoea doing it twice a week at all our pools, so it (£35,000, %47,000) in admission fees. and stomach cramps. It’s spread through affected our budget. The summer of 2007 was the hottest water so swimming pools, hot tubs, spa Even though we got the chlorine back summer on record for the state of Utah. pools, fountains, even natural bodies of down to a safe level, the air in the pools Because of that, people fl ocked to the pool water – lakes, rivers, springs, ponds – can was very strong and pungent, so we had in huge numbers and after the ban was all become contaminated with crypto. complaints about lung and eye irritants. announced our pools went from being very In Salt Lake County we operate 18 swim- full to practically empty – some days no ming pools – 10 indoor and eight outdoor How did you reassure one at all came to the pool. – and we had at least six cases of crypto customers you were clean? offi cially reported in six pools. Part of the process was educating the pub- And after the ban was lifted? lic about what crypto is, how it’s caused Once the ban was lifted, people still didn’t How did you get rid of the crypto? and how they can protect themselves. One come back. We were concerned and did Another requirement, along with banning of the most important things we did was a number of promotional events with free children, was that we had to hyper-chlo- tell people that yes, it’s been here – it’s swimming weekends and still no one came rinate the pool. The normal chlorine level throughout all of northern Utah – and we’re back. But it was the middle of winter. So, in of the pool is about two parts per million. doing our part as pool operators to hyper- the spring we worked hard with the State 34 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 >8DJA9=:6GI=:GDD;8G:6@>C<6C9@C:L>IL6H of Utah to educate the public about what with the State of Utah Department of What advice can you give we were doing to make sure the water was Health over the winter and created an edu- to other operators? safe. We’ve since seen our numbers come cational campaign that aired on tv. We’ve Don’t be resistant to change. New regula- back to where they were prior to the out- had ads in papers and held press confer- tions can make all the difference. Another break, but it’s taken a long time. ences and educational events at libraries practice we’ve installed is that every hour and schools. We also have events and on the hour, we blow our whistles and How can you prevent outbreaks? information in all of our pools to help peo- ask everyone to take a fi ve-minute break. We’ve installed ultra violet lights, which is ple understand the new health department Parents take the little ones to the bath- new technology being used in swimming requirements and how they can protect room so they don’t do their business in the pools although it’s been used in water themselves and help us prevent the spread pool. People were resistant to change at treatment systems in cities for years. It’s of recreational water illnesses. the beginning but they now see that these a chamber that all the water in the pool The State of Utah has changed the rules changes are for the better to ensure they passes though as part of the fi ltration sys- for toddlers. In the past there were no have a safe, fun time swimming. tem. Right before the water’s dumped back requirements re swimming diapers. Now Many organisations, other states and into the swimming pool, it goes through a anyone three-years and under has to wear countries have come to us and asked how chamber of ultra violet lights. The water’s a swimming nappy and plastic swim pants it happened, what we’ve learned and how basically baked, and any parasites or bac- that have tight elastic bands around the they can prevent this happening in their teria are instantly killed so the water that waist and legs to keep them water-tight. neighbourhood and community. goes back in the pool is clean and pure. We purchased these systems for all 18 of What have you learned? How do you feel now? our swimming pools last year at a cost of The importance of educating the public We’re glad to be through it. The new proce- $1m (£500,000, %671,000). and working with the public. We were open dures, educating our patrons and the new and honest with our patrons about every- equipment appeared to have eliminated How have you educated the public? thing that was going on and what we were the cryptosporidium from our swimming Mainly through the media. We had a large doing, as it was a joint effort in getting their pools. We’re very happy and relieved that group of pool operators who got together help to stop this spread. there haven’t been any more outbreaks. ● AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 35 MUSEUMS The European Museum of the Year Award Now in its 32nd year, the European Museum of the Year Award is organised by the European Museum Forum, a charity oper- ating under the auspices of the Council of Europe. Candidates are new museums that have opened in the last two to three years, or older museums that have been com- pletely reorganised within the same period. The annual competition is judged by an international committee of infl uen- tial fi gures from the museum world. Each year, the Forum receives applications from 50 to 60 museums, all of which are vis- ited by members of the committee. The judges then meet to share their fi ndings before deciding on an overall winner. Mythical Status ven if you’ve never actually been The Salzburg Museum’s It’s ironic, then, that an exhibition dedi- there, the chances are you know cated to undermining this reputation has E something about Salzburg – or, provocative storytelling has helped win the city’s relocated Salzburg at least, you think you do. Surrounded by cast a new, unfavourable Museum popular and critical success plus stunning Alpine setting and overfl owing a much-coveted award. The museum was with Baroque architecture, the fourth larg- light on the city’s picture- named in May as the European Museum est Austrian city is celebrated the world Forum’s 2009 Museum of the Year – an over both as the birthplace of Mozart and postcard reputation – accolade given once a year to a newly the setting of the 1965 hit fi lm The Sound and won it a prestigious opened or renovated museum seen to be of Music. In the international imagina- raising the bar in the industry. tion, it’s a place of unparalleled beauty award. Archivist Erich Originally known as the Salzburger where landscape, history and music come Marx tells Rhianon Howells Museum Carolino Augusteum, the together in perfect harmony, much like the museum was founded in 1834 as a private voices of the Trapp Family Singers. how this was done enterprise, before being taken over by the City of Salzburg in 1849. Since 1966, it’s been jointly owned and operated by the City and the Province of Salzburg. Seven years ago, the decision was made to move the museum from its original home to the palatial Neue Residenz, built in 1600 for Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich, and, in the process, to completely reorganise the collection. City historian and archivist Erich Marx was brought on board to oversee the `20m project, and the museum, complete with a more marketable and international name, reopened in May 2007. “The old building was too small and impractical for a modern museum,” explains Marx. “The Neue Residenz was (Left) the Neue Residenz’s stucco ceiling, from 1602, is dedicated to the absolutist sovereign archbishops 36 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 (Main) The Neue Residenz profi les the prince archbishops; (below) Salzburg personality, road engineer Franz Wallack; (below right) the European Museum of the Year 2009 award being used as an administrative building at nent exhibition – the Salzburg Myth – that has (literally) been painted. The Romantics’ the time, and as well as being much larger, really got their attention. Located on the vision, promoted by those in power, it had the enormous advantage of being in second fl oor of the palace, the exhibition screened the real living conditions of the the centre of the city’s Old Town.” eschews the traditional, chronological rural and urban populations, while the approach favoured by so many city-history eternal emphasis on the Alpine landscape THE SALZBURG MYTH museums in favour of a provocative sto- and the ‘Mozart cult’ successfully masked The new museum covers fi ve fl oors. The ryline that aims to deconstruct Salzburg’s the less favourable elements of Salzburg’s Kuntshalle, in the basement, houses large butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-its-mouth reputation. past: occupation by foreign powers, the special exhibitions (it’s currently show- Marx explains: “The roots of the burdens of war, political corruption, eco- ing Art from Japan) while the ground-fl oor Salzburg Myth lie in the early 19th century, nomic depression and religious intolerance. Säulenhalle plays host to smaller tempo- when the Romantic painters and writers “The storyline really stood out,” says rary displays. Salzburg Personalities, on fi rst came here. They were excited by the Wagener. “The museum has a very rich the fi rst fl oor, is an annually changing landscape, the castles and the mediaeval collection, but the exhibits have been very exhibition exploring the lives of nine past architecture and carried their enthusiasm, carefully chosen to support this theme. residents who made an impact on the in words and pictures, throughout Europe. The result is a very original and critical way city. A room dedicated to Salzburg artist Politicians and businessmen saw and of analysing the city’s history.” Gottfried Salzmann is on the third fl oor. exploited the economic potential, market- This is not to say that the exhibition But according to Danièle Wagener, ing Salzburg fi rst as a summer resort and does not give credit where it’s due. “The director of museums for the City of later as a festival city.” myth was started by the artists who came Luxembourg and a European Museum What this exhibition aims to lay bare is here in the 19th century,” says Marx, “but Forum judge, it was the museum’s perma- that Salzburg’s story is not as idyllic as it the landscape, we say, is from God!” AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 37 MUSEUMS CARING YET ADVENTUROUS Salzburg personalities who have Germany, the USA, Japan and Italy – but According to Wagener, the “caring yet had a signifi cant impact on the city during the rest of the year local visitors and adventurous way” in which the Neue include philosopher Leopold Kohr school groups dominate. The Salzburg Residenz was adapted – by Salzburg- Museum Association has also increased its based architects Heide Mühlfellner – was membership from 3,500 to 5,500 since the another reason the Salzburg Museum was staff were actively involved in designing move, with members generating more than singled out. The primary aim, says Marx, innovative units with drawers and sliding %100,000 (£86,000, US$142,300) a year. was to restore the building to its former panels, which allow the most light-sensitive The European Museum Forum award, glory but, where necessary, to integrate exhibits, such as engravings and drawings, says Marx, is the icing on the cake. “The contemporary features that enhanced the to be protected when not being viewed, award is a great recognition of our work aims of the museum. These include not while also engaging the visitor. Some units over many years; it enhances our public only practical additions such as lifts, but also incorporate multimedia elements, but image and helps us fi nance the museum.” also innovations such as the Kuntshalle always in an unobtrusive way. “Electronic As director of Salzburg’s muse- – an impressive 500sq m (5,400sq ft) exhibi- media is important,” says Wagener, “but it ums, Marx is also responsible for the tion space with an illuminated ceiling. should never be the main attraction.” Panorama Museum, the Historical Efforts were also made to ensure the Another highlight is the museum’s World Musical Instruments Museum, the building was as sustainable as possi- of Children tour, comprising play-focused Fortress Museum, the Toy Museum and ble. Eco-friendly wall-heaters are installed activities and specially designed spaces the Cathedral Excavations Museum. The throughout, the ventilation system is capa- with openings so small that only children Panorama Museum, also in the Neue ble of recovering 90 per cent of waste heat can get in. These are a great success with Residenz, centres on a huge panoramic and the air-conditioning system uses cool younger visitors, says Marx: “You often see painting of Salzburg in 1829, recently water from a nearby underground river. mothers lying on the fl oor saying ‘come restored using public donations of %550 The museum also uses LED lighting, which out, come out, we have to go!’” (£472, $783). He also plans to renovate the not only saves energy but is also less Toy Museum and expand the underground damaging to the works of art. According OUT OF THE ORDINARY Cathedral Excavations Museum. to Marx, the system – specially developed In all respects, the new Salzburg Museum If the Salzburg Museum is anything to by Swiss company Regent Lighting and has been an unequivocal success. At its go by, something out of the ordinary might Austrian company Lumitech – is the fi rst of previous site, the museum saw 30,000 visi- be expected. “Our museum is living proof its kind ever to be used in a museum. tors a year; last year, it attracted 80,000. In that a modern museum can inform and The museum’s display furniture is the summer season, 80 per cent are tour- also entertain,” says Marx. “Our visitors are another strength, says Wagener. Museum ists – overseas visitors come mainly from really excited by it; we’re very content.” ● 38 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Gamma LeisurePOS MEMBERSHIP gamma dataware Complete business solutions Modular integrated management information systems for visitor attractions, museums, heritage sites and ADMISSIONS RETAIL CATERING BOOKINGS ACCOUNTS theme parks Gamma Dataware Limited Gamma LeisurePOS provides visitor attractions of all types and sizes with a complete end-to-end operational management system from admissions to back office reporting, analysis and accounting. The system’s modular approach allows operators to implement any combination of modules to meet their specific requirements. While the integration between modules ensures that operators can easily produce cross departmental reports such as visitor spend analysis. LeisurePOS modules include: Admissions and Ticketing Bookings and Event Management Membership Retail and Catering Point of Sale Stock Control Purchase Order Processing Mail Order Gift Aid Integrated Chip and PIN Web Interfaces Gamma Dataware Ltd Accounting and Payroll Wright Business Centre Reporting and Back Office Management 1 Lonmay Road Glasgow LeisurePOS options include: G33 4EL = #,4(.(55$0'4(/16(+$0'+(.' !70,65 Telephone: +44 (0)141 773 6273 = ",&-(65$.(5$0'&1..(&6,10-,15-5 $: = (/1*4$2+,&'$6$&$2674( +44 (0)141 773 6283 = !+,2$0' )141))5,6(5$.(5 E-mail: = 19(%64$05$&6,10)((5 [email protected] = "+($64(1: )),&(5$.(5 www.gammadata.com ENTREPRENEURS If you’re not quaking with fear after visiting one of Lynton V Harris’s attractions, then he doesn’t consider your visit a success. But the chair and CEO of Sudden Impact! doesn’t want to frighten people for the hell of it, he does it to bring them closer together, as Kathleen Whyman discovers What is Sudden Impact!? How did you get started? on doors and presenting to anyone who I founded The Sudden Impact! I’ve always been creating and producing would listen. Finally someone said yes. I Entertainment Company in 1991 to create and had that promoter’s streak in me. I was phoned my mum in the middle of the night theatrical attractions and shows world- a DJ at 15 and went on to have a career and told her: “We got it! We got it! We’re wide. We specialise in original productions in tv and radio. I put on concerts, pro- opening at Madison Square Gardens!” It and in securing the rights to Hollywood duced events, openings, closings, celebrity was a truly awesome experience. The show blockbusters to create live, scary experi- events and tv specials. I was well rounded ran for four seasons from 1996 to 1999 and ences for attractions parks, with actors and enough by the time I started Sudden we sold more than 250,000 tickets. visuals. The portfolio has included attrac- Impact! to create and produce events. tions based on the fi lms Van Helsing, The What did you do next? Mummy trilogy, Alien vs Predator, Lara What was your big break? At that point we were the only guys who’d Croft and Prison Break and we tour them My fi rst show in the US was Madison done anything of that size and scale in an worldwide. We’ll be doing the same with Scare Garden in 1996. I was intrigued arena. Bobby Goldwater, who had been an our latest show, Terminator X, which just by Halloween, as it’s not celebrated in executive on Madison Scare Garden asked won the Best Major Attraction award at Australia, where I come from. On a trip us to bring the show to Washington. We its debut at The Royal Adelaide Show. I to the US in 1991, I read a brag ad in were due to start the tour on September licensed Night at the Museum recently, so Variety magazine about the success of the 11th 2001. We had the containers ready that’s going to be the next show. Rockettes Radio City Hall Christmas show, to leave our studio in New Jersey. You Our arena attractions have included which stated it made US$32m (£19.8, know what happened. I phoned to check Madison Scare Garden, The Fright House %22.4m) in eight weeks. I decided to see if on everyone, then rang Bobby and said: Extreme Scream Park in Washington and I could do the same with Halloween. “This isn’t going to happen.” It was a $2m Nightmares – Extreme Scream Park, a I quit my job as marketing director of (£1.2m, %1.4m) show, but, obviously in the stadium show in Philadelphia. We’ve also 10 Australian radio stations, moved from light of things, money wasn’t an issue. done permanent installations for The Bondi Beach to Spanish Harlem and spent The following year, 2002, we tried again, Tussauds Group around the world. two and a half years in New York knocking but talk about being bloody cursed – that 40 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 (Top left) Alien vs Predator vs You was the year of the DC sniper. We were brings laser games into the 21st us, as it’s a family-friendly subject matter in rehearsals in DC when the fi rst shoot- century; (top and bottom right) and we can create a scary experience or ings happened. I had to go to the UK (that Nightmares – Extreme Scream Park, a laser one. I’m also looking at War of the year we launched a number of attractions the stadium show in Philadelphia, may Worlds, The Wolfman, Sherlock Holmes, for The Tussauds Group) and tuned into well give you nightmares; (bottom left) Saw and the tv show 24. CNN as soon as I arrived and unfortunately The Chamber Live show, which ran at someone else had died. I said: “No one’s Madame Tussaud’s London What’s the appeal of scaring people? going to turn up.” To get to that venue you I was with a reporter in Madison Scare had to drive or catch a train and people Garden once at the end of the show where just weren’t leaving their homes. We just tested our latest interactive show, people come out. Some were crying, oth- We took those assets to The Spectrum Terminator X: A Laser Battle For Salvation, ers were laughing. The reporter asked if in Philadelphia and ran the show there for in Adelaide and it was so successful we’ve I got upset scaring people. I said he was three years. It was very successful until the booked it into Adventure World in Perth missing the point – they were talking to building was slated to be demolished. That for the summer season 2009/2010 and will each other. Families are breaking up at really was the end of that show! then go to the US in the spring of 2010. a rate of knots – we want to bring them together. Entertainment should move peo- What’s your latest attraction? Why movie experiences? ple. It should give an emotional response. Alien vs Predator vs You (AVPX) is a new It started in 2001 when I went to Australia The wonderful thing about live theatre laser experience at Dreamworld, Australia, and booked The Mummy Returns for and creating these interactive, immersive which is just rocking. We’ve taken laser tag Dreamworld and put it on in the June experiences is that people discuss it and to the next level possible and blown every- school holidays. I wanted to prove that it relive it afterwards. A mechanical ride one away. Everyone saw laser tag as being doesn’t have to be nightime or Halloween doesn’t give that connection. Kids say stuck in the 80s and 90s. We took it out for an attraction to be enjoyable and scary. being an actor in our show would be a cool and gave it a bullet and took it to the top. I’ve just licensed Night at the Museum job. No one says it’d be cool to be a seat in That’s very exciting. from Fox. It’s going to be a good brand for a rollercoaster. AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 41 ENTREPRENEURS Harris hired his childhood hero, Alice Cooper, to appear in his fi rst show, Madison Scare Garden ÇJ>;MED:;H 42 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 SHOW REVIEW The theme of Ecsite’s 20th annual conference was evolution and revolutions in science. Almost 1,000 delegates attended the 75 sessions ECSITE09 Ecsite’s 20th conference took place 4 – 6 June at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. his year’s conference attracted The conference sessions refl ected a record 986 delegates from ÇIY_[dY[Y[djh[iWdZ the theme, with speakers discussing T around the world. cki[kciWh[fbWY[ie\ the role of science centres and muse- The exhibition, held alongside the ums and identifying future trends. “We comprehensive programme of semi- _ddelWj_edWdZde_ddelWj_ed received 200 sessions proposals last nars and keynote speeches, saw a total year. From these, we selected 75 ses- of 60 exhibitors show off a wide range _ifeii_Xb[m_j^ekjWdoh_ia# sions,” Giannokopoulou explains. “All of products and services. Both fi gures jWa_d]WdZj^[m_bbjeXh[Wa the sessions were carefully selected to show signifi cant growth on 2008, when refl ect the best of our fi eld today.” the conference recorded 797 dele- d[mXekdZWh_[iÈ During the conference, Ecsite gates and 52 exhibitors. launched a networking group called The theme of the conference Nature. The initiative has been set up was evolution and revolutions in science. According to Aliki to strengthen the collaboration between science centres, science Giannakopoulou, Ecsite’s conference coordinator, the theme museums, natural history museums, research institutions, univer- picked itself. “This year, 2009, marks the 20th anniversary of sities, aquariums and zoos. The aim of Nature will be to create a Ecsite,” she says. “We wanted to discuss all the changes, chal- more coordinated exchanging of expertise, knowledge and collab- lenges and trends that have taken place during those 20 years.” orations between European institutions. The launch was supported by a pre-conference session and a further session during the con- ference, explaining the scheme’s goals and ambitions. ECSITE ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2010 Another theme that was covered during the networking events DASA, Dortmund, Germany, 3 – 5 June was the sense of community that the conference is able to create, and the opportunities that meeting people in the sector offer. The In 2010, the Ecsite Annual Conference meets the European exchange of opinions and ideas was lively, as 49 countries were Capital of Culture in Dortmund, Germany’s green metropolis. represented at the event – another record. The year’s most important European gathering As the conference closed, the venue for next year’s event was con- for science centres and museums will be hosted by fi rmed as being the DASA science centre in Dortmund, Germany. DASA, an institution which combines a traditional “Next year, the conference will deal with how risk can be a source museum and modern science centre with a distinct of creativity,” said Giannakopoulou. “Science centres and muse- creative fl air, to provide an innovative experience of yes- ums are places of innovation, and no innovation is possible without terday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s world of work. risk-taking and the will to break new boundaries. For Ecsite’s 2010 conference, we invite you to abandon your comfort zone!” ● AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 43 GALLERIES 9G6L>C<DC :ME:G>:C8: @ViZ7g^cYaZnidd`i]ZldgaY Wnhjgeg^hZi]^hhjbbZgWn ]dhi^c\\gV[Òi^Vgi^hi7Vc`hnÉh W^\\ZhiZm]^W^i^dcVi7g^hida BjhZjb#H]ZiZaah@Vi]aZZc L]nbVcl]n!gVi]Zgi]Vc WVh`^ci]Z\adgn!h]ZÉh bdkZYhigV^\]i^cidVcZl gdaZVhY^gZXidgd[b^bV t 7.40am on 13th June, Kate Brindley appeared on Radio 4 to 6 announce the launch of Banksy’s controversial exhibition at Bristol Museum. Within hours there was a four-hour queue to get into the museum and international journalists were fl ocking to Bristol. The controversial graffi ti artist, famed for his anti-establishment and anti-capitalist Bristol, who admits: “I thought it was a joke The museum closed for two days to set artwork, which he has secretly painted and at fi rst.” Once Banksy’s PR assured her it up the exhibition. At this point more staff planted around the world, drew 400,000 was for real, she “grasped the opportunity had to be told, although the council was visitors to the museum during the exhibi- with both hands”. still kept in the dark. Ensuring the secrecy tion’s seven-week run. It was a massive of the project was protected was perhaps coup for Brindley. Banksy has built a career H:8G:IH:GK>8: the biggest challenge for Brindley. “There on subverting institutions and had, up to The initial call came in autumn 2008 and the was a lot of rumour mongering,” she this point, resisted a large-scale exhibi- exhibition opened in June 2009 – a quick recalls. “He has a huge following and a tion for a lengthy period of time. Declining turnaround from idea to launch. Part of the couple of times there were frighteningly offers from major museums and galler- need for speed was the necessity to avoid accurate allegations on the internet. We ies worldwide, he instead chose Bristol exposure. Banksy’s anonymity is part of the had to deny it and be as vague as possible.” Museum to showcase his work (the artist is brand, so it was vital the exhibition was kept believed to come from Bristol). No one was secret until the day it opened. “It’s about 7JGC>C<:CFJ>GN more surprised than Brindley, the direc- him launching into the public realm with no The exhibition involved more than a hun- tor of museums, galleries and archives at trail. He’ll just appear, as he always does,” dred sculptures, stencils and oil paintings explains Brindley. The excep- including a burned-out ice-cream van in tional circumstances demanded place of the museum’s enquiry desk, a ABOUT BANKSY contractually and conceptually model of Stonehenge made from port- Banksy is a quasi-anonymous English that no details were released or able toilets, a sculpture of a riot police graffi ti artist. He’s believed to be from the offer would be immediately offi cer astride a child's rocking horse and Bristol, UK but there is substantial public withdrawn. Consequently, only an animatronic display featuring chicks as uncertainty about his identity and per- Brindley and a few members chicken nuggets. Many of the exhibits were sonal and biographical details. His graffi ti of the management team were hidden in existing displays – a rat wearing started appearing during the late 1990s. aware of the covert project. They sunglasses and a rucksack was planted His street artworks, which combine graf- worked with Banksy’s team, never in the natural history section – inviting visi- fi ti writing with a distinctive stenciling with Banksy directly – although tors to seek them out. One of Brindley’s technique, are often satirical, tackling top- he oversaw the installation, staff favourite works, called Flights to Cairo, ics such as politics, culture and ethics. were unaware of who he was depicted an easyjet billboard poster in a among the crew. Claude Lorrain painting hung next to a 44 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 landscape from a similar period. “It’s bril- liant,” enthuses Brindley. “I really enjoy his sense of humour and the way he put the work in the art gallery. He clearly knew the building very well.” While the majority of people were delighted to get the opportunity to view Banksy’s work, there are those who view him as a vandal and feel he shouldn’t be revered. Brindley welcomes the feedback. “I’d expect that from the way he’s devel- oped his practise,” she says. “He’s got a very political element to his work. Debate new Pop Art gallery and exhibition space Banksy’s works ‘Flights to Cairo’ and ‘How is inevitable and good and healthy. I’ve and remodelling the 19th century build- do you like your eggs?’ were part of the never shied away from controversy,” she ing with a contemporary entrance was an Banksy v Bristol Museum exhibition, which continues. “When you show challenging extremely satisfying project,” she says. Brindley organised and set up in secret works people can take it badly or engage And in her role as director for museums, with it positively. That’s part of the role of a galleries and archives in Bristol from month into the Banksy exhibition, she took public museum and gallery. We don’t want 2005 to 2009, she secured money for a a new post as director of museums and gal- people to feel offended, but if there were new £26m (US$41.4m, %28.3m) Bristol leries overseeing mima – Middlesbrough no debate it would be very diluted.” museum on the harbour-side, which will tell Institute of Modern Art – and the Dorman the story of Bristol. Despite these achieve- and Cook Birthplace museums. L=6I@6I:9>9C:MI ments, Brindley’s aware that the Banksy Mima was set up two-and-a-half years Brindley has had a number of successes in exhibition will be hard to trump. “This will ago and already has a very good reputa- her career. When she was head of arts and be a diffi cult achievement and experience tion. Brindley’s charged with taking it to museums in Wolverhampton from 2002 to to beat,” she acknowledges. the next stage, which she’s full of plans 2005 she secured the fi nal part of funding Brindley had two options – sit back and for. “I want to build on mima’s success and for Wolverhampton Art Gallery’s extension, enjoy the accolades or throw herself into secure more fi nancial support externally,” which won a RIBA award. “Developing a a new challenge. She chose the latter. A she says. “Mima has funding through the AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 45 GALLERIES BANKSY VERSUS BRISTOL MUSEUM – LIZ TERRY e made the two hour drive to Bristol toddlers, couples young and (very) old, artworks were the real genius of the exhi- W fully aware that we’d be facing a heavily pierced and tattooed teenagers – bition, as they opened up this dusty and three hour queue and went armed with all standing in the sun together. traditional museum in ways I doubt have water and newspapers to join the line which Once inside, the treats began. The ever been seen before. fi lled a street adjacent to the museum and ground fl oor was dedicated to Banksy’s The sight of the tattooed and pierced snaked halfway round the block. artwork and installations, while the teenagers self-consciously clomping Museum researchers polled visitors to upper fl oors promised 30 further works through and diligently searching the fi nd out distances travelled. Many were scattered throughout the permanent col- ceramics collection to fi nd a Degas-style from far away - some from overseas: lections - you had to search to fi nd them. fi gure wearing a gas mask or the mineral I’ve never experienced a more good Although the ground fl oor was gallery to fi nd a dildo stalactite will stay natured or diverse crowd – families with extremely satisfying, the scattered with me for a very long time. arts council and town. I want to broaden The Modern Times people who that funding base through partnerships produced a newspaper on mima’s and working with the community. Mima did Gerhard Richter exhibition a very successful pre-launch programme working with local people and communi- publicise them. Then look at the next stage ties and it’s important we build on that.” of developing the collections.” One such recent project involved work- Brindley’s aware that the job isn’t without ing with a group of young people to write it’s diffi culties. “Resourcing is a chal- an interpretation around the Gerhard lenge,” she admits. “The uncertainty in Richter exhibition, Modern Times. “They public fi nance is a consideration for us all produced a newspaper and followed the at the moment. However, cultural facilities curatorial process – interviewing peo- in times of recession are a beacon of con- ple from The Tate and other collections,” fi dence and hope and community spirit. I explains Brindley. “It’ll be distributed to need to take advantage of that and show households all over Middlesbrough. The our worth and value to the town. Another quality of that experience will knock onto challenge is continuing to be relevant to our their communities. This is an example of and a signifi cant drawing collection,” she audience,” she continues. “When you’ve what we want to do more of.” says proudly. “Mima’s been very suc- just opened you’re all shiny and new and cessful in bringing in external funding for have the advantage of good press. I need I=:7><9G6L its collection and developing. It’s had an to consolidate that and continue to be rel- Another priority job for Brindley involves award from Northern Rock for developing evant so we get a core, loyal audience.” the exhibits. Rather than taking on the contemporary art and has a fi ve-year deal Although Brindley loved her job in Bristol, impossible task of fi lling all the gaps in with the Art Fund for purchasing American she’s already full of warmth for both mima mima’s collection, Brindley plans to build drawings. Drawing is a key strength of the and Middlesbrough. “Mima is an amazing on the strengths that the gallery already Middlesbrough art collection. These are building and facility,” she says. “It shows has. “We’ve got one of the best contem- two things we need to successfully com- incredible commitment from the council porary jewellery collections in the country plete, get the collections on display and in using culture for regeneration purposes. It’s got tremendous support from the town. Middlesbrough’s got a bad press for being 67DJIB>B6 the worst town in England, which I dispute. Mima is a gallery of mod- That’s an attraction for me – I’m working ern and contemporary in a fl agship venue in a deprived town. art. Opened in January There’s a spirit about the town I really like – 2007, it was designed a ‘can do’, positive attitude.” by Erick van Egeraat Due to a contractual arrangement, Associated Architects. Brindley was unable to even hint about The gallery hosts tem- the forthcoming Banksy exhibition in her porary exhibitions of fi ne interview for the position at mima. “They art and craft from 1900 to fi rst found out about it when I was inter- now. Featuring the work viewed on Radio 4,” she laughs. “It’s been of internationally acclaimed artists, the The building includes fi ve exhibition quite a talking point in Middlesbrough. programme includes paintings, drawing, galleries, two project spaces, educa- Everyone wants to know if I can get Banksy ceramics, jewellery design, sound, fi lm, tion space, sound space, event space, to do something here. If he’d be gracious mixed media, photography and sculp- two collection stores, a conservation enough to do one in Middlesbrough to ture. Exhibitions change every quarter. studio, a café, shop and garden. help us improve the town’s reputation, I’d love him to – that’s an invitation!” ● 46 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 PLANETARIUMSPLA NNEW DIRECTIONS As the United Nations’ International Year of Astronomy draws to a close, Liz Terry takes a look at recent openings and the innovators behind the scenes ew technology is making investment in planetariums an ever more compelling N option for operators. Flexible domes and digital projectors mean that a wider than before range of content can be displayed in the same space, enabling operators to offer educational content side- by-side with more commercial alternatives. New systems allow full-dome animations. Movies and planetarium shows can run consecutively in the same domes, bringing planetariums into competition with other large format venues. As commercial cine- mas begin to embrace 3D, with projects like Disney’s $US10m 3D remastering of Toy Story and Toy Story 2, the boundaries are blurring even further. JK8EC Supplied by: Sky-Skan What’s special? Owned by: Hong Kong Space Museum Museum curator, Chan Ki-hung, Opened: July 2009 says: "With a resolution exceeding The Hong Kong Space Theatre has 53 million pixels, the new digital invested HK$34m (£2.8m, %3m, US$4.4m) planetarium system boasts the to create the Stanley Ho Space Theatre – a highest resolution in a theatre. Sky-Skan Defi niti installation. The planetar- Only two theatres in the world, ium has a giant 23m (75ft) dome screen Beijing Planetarium and the Hong and seats 270 people. Defi niti DigitalSky 2 Kong Space Museum, can project software runs everything from 8K and 4K such ultra-high defi nition images. playback streams, cutting-edge real-time Coupled with Sony's latest SXRD projec- among audience members and taking part graphics generation and 5.1 sound, to total tors, which were introduced in early 2009, in real-time games. A wireless headphone theatre control via SPICE Automation. the Space Museum is one of the most system makes it more convenient and com- Visitors can tour the universe live with advanced digital planetariums in the world. fortable for the audience to use." interpretation by skilled presenters or, "The new system can project full dome Shows: Extreme Planets, which was pro- alternatively, hit a push button to watch a animations or movies, which couldn’t be duced by Clarke Planetarium and Dawn of playback show in ultra high-resolution. achieved by the old projector,” Ki-hung the Space Age, produced by Mirage3D. The Sky-Skan's Defi niti 8K projection continues. “Audiences can gaze at the Extreme Planets is screened until the system consists of six Sony SXRD 4K pro- starry sky at any time and from any place end of October at 3.50pm and 7.20pm jectors fi tted with Defi niti HD 8K lenses, 24 in the universe. They can also fl y to a star daily, with an additional screening at Defi niti graphics computers pushing 53 or other celestial object and view it in a ren- 12.20pm on Saturdays, Sundays and pub- million pixels (the screen has 38 M pixels dered 3D model. They can even fl y to the lic holidays. Dawn of the Space Age is after masking/blending) giving 24 HD end of the observable universe and study screened until the end of December. Show streams at once, which are blended into the large-scale structure of the universe. schedules are 2.40pm and 6.10pm daily one giant seamless picture. Sky-Skan's "The new seats are installed with a multi- with an additional screening at 11.10am on SPICE Automation handles theatre control. language system offering narration in more Sundays and public holidays. The planetarium’s dome was refi nished than four languages for a show. The newly Admission prices: HK$32/HK$24 as part of the renovation. The existing designed display unit installed on the arm- (£1.93/£2.57 $US 3.00/$4.12) for adults framework is from Astro-Tec (www.astro- rest of the seat allows individual viewers to for standard/front seats, HK$16/HK$12 tec.com), while the dome was re-sheeted select languages and use the interactive (£.96/£1.28, $US 1.54/$2.00) for children, by Spitz prior to this renovation. features, such as sending short messages students and seniors. 48 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 (Main picture) Shows at the Cosmonova Planetarium include Fly me to The Moon 3D; (left )the theatre control desk PHOTO: TOM CALLEN TOM PHOTO: ture and the digital planetarium takes sound system is also by Global Immersion. :FJDFEFM8GC8E K AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 49 ATTRACTIONS DESIGN By Andrea Jezovit Greg Murphy of Jones and Jones architects in Seattle, US, talks about his fi rm’s @ED;I7D:@ED;I zoo design philosophies and work on Amazon and Beyond at Miami Metrozoo What was the brief? The idea for the Amazon and Beyond exhibit came from a question: “What’s the best thing the zoo can do to help save the earth’s highest priority biodiversity hot- spots?” From this came the concept of immersing visitors in re-created South and Central American rain forests to educate and inspire them into promoting conserva- tion abroad. It’s been wildly successful and we’ve had record attendances at the zoo. (Left) a jaguar makes himself at home; (main picture) visitors get close to nature What was the design inspiration? The design was inspired by some of the tropical rainforest could be created with to discover unique plants and animals most awe-inspiring landscapes in the a high level of authenticity. Unfortunately, throughout the journey. Every plant, animal, world – the cloud forests of Panama and with this climate comes the risk of hur- rock, building, furnishing and even the Costa Rica, the Amazon Forest, Atlantic ricane winds and rain. Special care went musical score communicates the world of Coastal Forest and the Pantanal, Brazil – into the design of each structure and selec- the American Tropics. coupled with the indigenous cultures that tion of each plant to protect the exhibit. have grown from and subsist within these What else are you working on? unique and fragile environments. What’s your favourite part? Jones and Jones is a diverse practice, but The immersive experience. In Amazon all our projects share the common themes What was the biggest challenge? and Beyond, the visitor isn’t looking at an of nature, culture and community. We’re Hurricanes! Miami, Florida, is one of the animal in a distant exhibit; he’s immersed administering the construction phase of few climates in the United States where a within the natural environment and allowed the new Cultural Museum for the Southern AMAZON AND BEYOND Opened: 2008 The offer: A 27-acre, US$50m (£30.2m, `35.5m) exhibit housing more than 600 animals from South and Central America. The attraction features three tropical rainforests recreating specifi c natural habi- tats: The Cloud Forest, The Amazon Forest, and the Atlantic Forest. The site also includes Fiesta Plaza, which offers food and shopping, street theatre, a children’s fountain and orientation pavilions allowing close encounters with smaller and friendlier creatures. Visitors can immerse themselves in the environment 50 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 PHOTO: SMITH AERIAL PHOTOS The South and Central American rainforests are recreated at Amazon and Beyond Ute American Indian Tribe in Colorado, and recently completed the design for the 6ii]Zodd!lZVgZ\jZhih^ci]ZVc^bVaÉh]dbZ# proposed Agua Caliente Cultural Museum 7nYZh^\c^c\[gdbi]ZVc^bVaÉhk^Zled^ci!Vjc^fjZ for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs, California. Our VcYldcYgdjhZck^gdcbZcigZhjaih!egdk^Y^c\Vc current wildlife conservation work includes ZmX^i^c\VcYXVei^kVi^c\ZmeZg^ZcXZ[dgi]Zk^h^idg continued design of Africa Live! at San Antonio Zoo, a new East African Savanna and Congo Swamp Forest Gorilla exhibit at the Dublin Zoo and masterplanning for environment and our fellow animal and How do you balance the needs of Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, Ireland. human inhabitants of this world. Ultimately, both visitors and the animals? it inspires return visits and impassions Every habitat we create places the animal’s What makes the ultimate zoo? people to take action and promote wildlife needs fi rst. This requires a deep under- The ultimate zoo provides visitors with the conservation in their daily lives. standing of the natural environment. At the opportunity to experience the diversity, zoo, we are guests in the animal’s home. beauty, and wonder of the natural world. What research goes into By designing from the animal’s viewpoint, It’s a place where visitors not only see ani- designing an animal’s habitat? a unique and wondrous environment mals, but become a part of their worlds. In Our designers have journeyed to the arc- results, providing an exciting and captivat- Amazon and Beyond, visitors explore three tic, the deserts of Oman, the rainforests of ing experience for the zoo visitor. different tropical rainforests, encounter- Brazil and the savannas of Africa to better ing animals within the lush vegetation and understand the habitats we are creating. What are the trends in zoo design? learning about Mayan and Amazonian We study these places and tap the knowl- The movement toward immersive exhibit culture and mythology that have grown edge of those who live within them, often design has revolutionised zoos over the from these environments. Similarly, at engaging indigenous people and fi eld past 30 years. We’re leading into the next the Arctic Ring of Life at the Detroit Zoo, researchers alike. To create the Amazon phase of this movement by introducing cul- guests journey from the tundra into glaci- and Beyond experience at Miami Metrozoo, tural resonance into zoo design. In addition ated waters experiencing the world of polar we sought out Dr Nicole Duplaix who has to creating authentic natural habitats from bears, seals and arctic foxes while also devoted her life to living among and study- the soil, plants, rocks and water of a place, learning about the human Inuit cultures ing giant river otters in the Amazon. While we’re introducing the art, architecture, that have evolved within this harsh environ- we are designers, we are also students of music, recreation and mythology of the ment. A visit to the ultimate zoo leaves one science and art, always seeking to better human cultures that have grown from and with a heart-felt connection to the natural understand the world we live in. often co-exist with the natural environment. AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 51 ATTRACTIONS DESIGN Instead of creating an artifi cial, themed environment, we want to communicate I]Za^kZhd[bdhieZdeaZVgZWZXdb^c\bdgZhVc^i^hZY authentic aspects of our planet’s diverse human cultures and their dependency on VcYgZbdkZY[gdbcVijgZ#OddheaVnVc^cXgZVh^c\an the environment to inspire compassion ^bedgiVcigdaZ^cgZXdccZXi^c\jhidcVijgZ and commitment to conservation of nature. What’s next for zoo design? The lives of most people are becoming more sanitised and farther removed from nature. Zoos play an increasingly impor- tant role in reconnecting us to nature. Countless species of plants and animals are now extinct and several animal spe- cies survive only in zoos. When we talk about zoos, we’re speaking more about wildlife conservation and cultural connec- tion. While zoos provide a much needed opportunity for family recreation, they’re also growing to become our window onto the world and its conservation needs. What’s your biggest infl uence? Each of our projects is infl uenced by the nature and culture of its context. For exam- ple, the recently completed Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center grows out of the wetlands and hovers within the tree canopy of the site, providing a view of nature seldom seen. Our projects are often praised for being rooted to their envi- ronment and setting precedents for how buildings and spaces should be integrated into their surroundings. How do you work with clients? We listen. We listen to our client, we listen to the intended users of the project, and, most importantly, we listen to the land itself. We take the needs and desires of each and synthesise them with the stories that the land tells us about its needs and the opportunities it provides. From this we develop a program of activities, defi ne a At Amazon and Beyond, visitors are OTHER PROJECTS concept that will make this place unique, guests in the animals’ homes and choreograph the intended visitor expe- Arctic Ring of Life, Detroit Zoo rience. These then become the guiding Have eco-friendly building practices Exhibit opened in 2001 featuring hab- vision that directs the design decisions. changed the way you operate? itats from tundra to taiga to icecap, We’ve always, since opening in 1969, and an underwater Polar Passage How do you decide on materials? designed sustainable places, sought to showcasing polar bears and seals While we try to keep apprised of all the minimise energy and water consumption Mercer Slough Environmental innovative products and materials entering and used renewable materials. Education Center – A 320- the market, ultimately, we look to nature In recent years, information and products acre wetland park opened in and indigenous cultures for guidance in have become available to assist us with Bellevue, US, in autumn 2008 material selection. We look for materials this approach. The LEED accreditation Campo Gorilla Reserve, Los that are locally available, durable in the and certifi cation process created by the Angeles Zoo Gorilla habitat opened region’s climate, and culturally appropriate US Green Building Council has height- in 2007 featuring forest canopies to the design. Often we learn from historic ened awareness, stimulated a large body draped with vines and close up cultures that have been building in a partic- of design research, and motivated material observations in two viewing areas ular area for centuries, gradually adapting suppliers to provide more information and their designs to the climate and resources. more eco-friendly products. L 52 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 VISIT US ONLINE 2010 EDITION attractionshandbook.com ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT Handbook Animatronics THE GLOBAL RESOURCE FOR ATTRACTIONS PROFESSIONALS & AQUARIUMS TECHNOLOGY THEME PARKS SCIENCE CENTRES ZOOS GALLERIES VISITOR ATTRACTIONS MUSEUMS & HERITAGE ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATIONS WATERPARKS EXPOS Suppliers to Gondwana - Das Praehistorium, Germany and Restless Planet, Dubai. RE ME Brought to you by U D POWERED BY S I I A E P L fun-kit.net U A B L The search engine for N I C O I A T attractions buyers Animatronics designed, developed and created from THE GLOBAL RESOURCE your imagination especially for: • Theme parks FOR ATTRACTIONS PROFESSIONALS • Attractions • Aquariums The Attractions Management Handbook, • Science centres the ultimate reference guide for the • Museums international attractions market, will be • Zoos published for 2010 as a comprehensive Planning and Design Consulting, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, resource for operators and suppliers London, SW7 5BD. Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5767 Email: [email protected] www.nhm.ac.uk/planning-design worldwide. The new handbook will be distributed in 2010 to buyers and operators and will also have bonus distribution at key industry events Supplier information Company profiles Multiple listings of industry suppliers Innovation roundup TIONAL A C Web address book N I NFAN Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition R R E C Product selector T U 3rd February 2010 L N I A Organisation contact book T Drayton Manor, Tamworth, Staffs I O N Operator information Key industry statistics and research 2010 Diary: industry events, shows and networking opportunities Predictions and trends for 2010 Features and analysis Resource section with contact information Development pipeline Green resources Be part of this Thriving To book your promotion or for further Independent Attractions Network information please contact the sales team Telephone 01536 513397 Call +44 (0)1462 431385 Email [email protected] [email protected] www.farmattractions.net MUSEUM DESIGN VARIETY SH W Every museum offers something different, be it showcasing the remains of a city, celebrating an iconic beer or teaching science through play. So each museum needs a different design approach. Kathleen Whyman asks some of the leading designers about their very different projects The remodeled Heineken Experience THE HEINEKEN EXPERIENCE Designer: BRC Imagination Arts, US Client: Heineken International Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 2,333sq m (25,000sq ft) Opened: November 2008 The Heineken Experience in PHOTO: PETER MAUSS/ESTO Amsterdam, The Netherlands, reopened in November 2008 after undergoing extensive remodelling and expansion. With the addition of a new fl oor to the visitor experience, BRC’s revamped attraction immerses visitors in the world The New Acropolis Museum is 10 times the size of the original of Heineken with a simulator that explains the company’s brewing and bottling proc- ess. Visitors can also create a personalised The remains of an ancient Athenian city bottle to take home. The experience also are among the highlights of The New THE NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM includes new media elements, interactive Acropolis Museum, which is 10 times the exhibits and an expanded retail area. size of the original Acropolis museum. Designer: Bernard Tschumi BRC’s brief was to create a world-class Tschumi Architects built a base which Architects, New York/Paris with attraction, which is able to compete in the hovers over the excavation site on 100 Michael Photiadis, Athens very mature Amsterdam tourist market, concrete pillars, so visitors can fully Location: Athens, Greece and turn tourists into Heineken ambassa- appreciate the remnants through glass Size: 226,000sq ft (21,000sq m) dors. BRC underwent a research tour with fl oors. This base level contains the main with 150,000sq ft (14,000sq m) the client through the US and discovered entrance lobby and temporary exhibition of exhibition space that patrons often got disappointed by the spaces. A glass ramp leads to a double- Client: Organisation for the way Heineken beer was served – with- height space on the middle fl oor, which Construction of the New out a foam layer. In the new Heineken showcases collection galleries from 1000 Acropolis Museum Experience, a full explanation is given to BC to 700 AD. The top fl oor of the museum Costs: E130m (£114.4m, $189.1m) visitors as to why a foam layer is needed on houses the Parthenon frieze. The gallery is Opened: June 2009 the beer, so that they go back to their local rotated 23 degrees from the rest of the bars and tell the bartender. building, so it aligns with the Parthenon, In the design stage of the attraction, just 1,000ft (305m) away, and has glass architecture. “The form of the building arose BRC worked with Electrosonic for the walls offering visitors a panoramic view of as a response to the challenges of creating AV equipment, Mansveld for AV support the ancient temple and surrounding city. a structure that was worthy of housing the and lighting, Alterface for the interactives, Bernard Tschumi created a simple and most dramatic sculptures of Greek antiquity, Bitmove for the video mail stations and precise design to invoke the mathemati- and doing so in an overwhelmingly historic Bosch Rexroth for the simulators. cal and conceptual clarity of ancient Greek and monumental setting,” says Tschumi. 54 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 A 360° theatre is part of the experience THE MARITIME EXPERIENCE Designer: MET Studio Client: Netherlands Maritime Museum Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 450sq m (4,800sq ft) Opening: Spring 2010 Costs: £1m ($1.65m, %1.1m) “Our approach was not to put the central objects on any kind of pedestal, but The museum’s long, winding walls are designed to give a fl uid feel to concentrate instead on creating a single immersive experience in each room, with the object fully integrated into a naturally- The Museum of the Arts of the 21st fl owing storyline,” says project lead century is the joint home of the MAXXI Arts MAXXI – MUSEUM OF THE designer Peter Karn about the aim of MET and MAXXI Architecture and Italy’s fi rst ARTS OF THE 21ST CENTURY Studio’s design. Working with Dutch national museum solely dedicated to contractor Hypsos and content specialists contemporary arts. Designer: Zaha Hadid Architects, UK Tinker Imagineers, The Maritime Zaha Hadid won the bid in 1998 to Client: Italian Ministry of Culture, Rome Experience is part of a large-scale design the publicly-funded museum on the Location: Rome, Italy renovation of the museum. site of a former army barracks and incor- Size: 30,000sq m (323,000sq ft) The brief for the project was to trans- porated some of the existing buildings into Opening: Spring 2010 form four rooms into a series of immersive the design. Hadid decided to challenge galleries, built around ‘emotion-fi lled the white neutrality of many 20th century stories from naval history’. Karn created museums and create a design which: “is through long, winding walls. Hadid says: 3D concepts to bring the stories to life. more like an urban graft, a second skin “The curving walls I designed are not only These include Gerda Kuhn’s blanket – the to the site,” she says. The glass-roofed, on the interior to be exhibited on, but on blanket wrapped around an eight-year-old concrete structure incorporates octagonal, the exterior too. So you can have murals, girl when she was rescued from the liner parallel and diagonal geometries to give projections and installations – it’s all about Tubantia after it had been torpedoed by a a fl uid feeling to the look of the museum an interior-exterior existence.” German submarine in 1916. belts, pneumatic tubes and a Bernoulli POWERBALL HALL blower. JRA did the conceptual and sche- matic design for the project while Boss Designer: Jack Rouse Display provided the fabrication and instal- Associates (JRA), US lation. “Given that PowerBall Hall is the Client: San Antonio fi rst exhibit you see when you walk into the Children’s Museum museum, we really wanted to create some- Location: San Antonio, US thing that was colourful, iconic and full of Size: 10,000sq ft (929sq m) energy,” says Mike Meyer, JRA’s design Opened: May 2009 director for the project. “The design takes advantage of the vertical nature of the entry lobby area, and creates an exciting JRA’s colourful, interactive ball gallery view into the museum from the street.” aims to promote cooperative play while He adds: “Specifi c activities were inspired conveying the basic principles of physics. by basic physics principles, as we looked to Themed loosely to represent a factory convey these concepts in a hands-on and environment, the exhibit enables children interactive manner. We created activities Encouraging play through physics to move balls through launchers, interac- that require cooperation among guests and tive walls, a mini-rollercoaster, conveyor encourage group participation.” ● AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 55 MULTIMEDIA & AV REALITY SHOW hether it’s adding a fresh angle Talking wasps, fl ights would appeal to all ages, so couldn’t be to an established attraction or over London and getting adrenaline-pumping. It does, however, W setting the tone for a new one, bombed are among the boast more 4D sensory effects than any multimedia is a vital way of uniting audi- other UK attraction, with visitors feeling the ences and telling a story. exciting experiences using wind in their hair, snow falling at their feet Despite owning London’s top paid for the latest applications for and even a sense of smell.” attraction, Merlin Entertainments has rec- ognised that during a recession everyone multimedia and audiovisual BRINGING SCIENCE TO LIFE is price conscious and looking for added technology. Kath Hudson Last month, The Natural History Museum value. The company has provided just learns how they bring opened the doors to the £78m ($128.1m, that in its new 4D, £5m (US$8.2m, %5.7m) %89.3m) Darwin Centre, its most signifi - fi lm, launched at the Merlin Entertainment the subject to life cant expansion since it moved to South London Eye in August. Kensington in 1881. This eight-storey con- Produced by Centre Screen Productions, crete Cocoon, suspended within a glass Principal Large Format was in charge outer box, is a pioneering research facility of the stereo 3D and SimexIwerks sup- which will be used by the world’s leading plied the 3D and 4D equipment and scientists and bring visitors closer to the programming. The fi lm tells the story of a burning issues affecting the planet. four-year-old girl visiting London with her Sysco was the audio consultant, coor- dad, but missing out on all the best sights, dinating four different software producers. until a friendly seagull sweeps her away for The centrepiece of the attraction is a a spectacular bird’s eye view. 32-screen interactive wall, which illustrates “The fi lm needed to be told quickly and what’s happening to the planet in terms of be non-dialogue dependent since many the melting of the polar ice caps and defor- visitors are from overseas,” says script- estation. Sensors in the wall calculate how writer and fi lm director, Julian Napier. “It Visitors learn how it feels to be bombed many people are standing in front of the also needed to be an experience which at The War Museum Liberty Park screen and the wall responds accordingly, The London Eye’s 4D fi lm gives visitors a bird’s eye view of London complete with weather effects including the wind and snow 56 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ©TORBEN ESKEROD NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM (Top left) The climate change wall at the Darwin Centre allows visitors to interact; (above) the centre’s eight- storey concrete Cocoon suspended within a glass box; (left) The Imperial War Museum uses a multimedia tour to show how war shapes lives mimicking what’s happening in the world, how it feels to bomb and be bombed. The The resulting guide tells 20th century his- so the more people, the quicker the dete- walkthrough experience shows both sides tory in an engaging and personal way, with rioration of the planet. of the event: the victims seeking shelter interviews from historians, soldiers and The museum’s project director, Paul in desperation and the pilot, who is also those affected by war, as well as archive Bowers, says interactivity and the use of human and potentially a victim. fi lm footage, contextual images and inter- the latest media, was of utmost importance The experience, which had to be active games. Antenna Audio’s marketing when planning the Darwin Centre. “We designed and built in eight weeks, takes manager, Stefanie Fuchs, says: “This rich knew from the beginning of the project visitors on a fl ight over the city, through mixture of audiovisual content creates a that we wanted to have a rich variety of a devastated cityscape and then the hor- very engaging experience for the visitor, media in the space and a variety of ways ror of bunkers. Projections are used on helping them to better understand the role for visitors to interact, to allow people to the fl oor to simulate the feeling of fl ying and messages of the IWM, as well as mak- personalise their experience and link back over a city. When the action switches to ing lasting connections with the exhibits on to us via the website afterwards,” he says. the ground, with the city waking up to the display and the lives of those touched by “Many of the science stories we’re telling chaos, four NEC projectors, theatrical light- war and global confl ict.” are complicated and we wanted them to ing and a powerful speaker system are be interesting and accurate, with real sci- used to create the drama. SMART THINKING entists speaking with the public, so there’s Hypsos’s project director, Maarten Following a pilot at London’s Tate Modern, lots of video and audio, whether that be lin- Taborsky, says this is a universal story, but Antenna Audio will be making its SMART ear fi lm, or interactives including fi lm. We the challenge was to not be too literal: guide a permanent installation. The guide know from our evaluation that people his- “Using abstraction, combined with impres- will give 13- to 18-year-old students access torically perceive science as being dusty sive dramatic settings, allows people to to information and allows them to make and dry, so we wanted to highlight what’s imagine better than with any other means audio clips, digital drawings and text notes. modern and interesting and reach the audi- how it was to be the pilot or citizen in a These can be downloaded and used for ence with the media they’re used to.” bombing environment.” presentations, enlivening the experience London’s Imperial War Museum (IWM) and deepening the understanding. WAR DRAMAS also brings visitors closer to the realities of Visitors to London’s Royal Institution Multimedia has been used to powerful war with a multimedia tour implemented by are having the experience brought to life effect in a new installation by Hypsos Antenna Audio. The IWM wanted to update with the help of an interactive multimedia at the War Museum Liberty Park in the its tour and incorporate the message that PDA guide introduced in August. Centre Netherlands, which gives visitors an idea of “war shapes lives”. Screen was commissioned to create a AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 57 MULTIMEDIA & AV series of stylised, animated mini-fi lms The role of bugs is explained in a 120 customers, provide interactive games and to bring the Royal Institution’s people, degree panoramic sequence fi lm at also use them as a way of fi nding out more objects and experiments to life. More than The BugWorld Experience. Seen from about visitor behaviour. 40 light-hearted, eGuide programmes were a wasp’s perspective, sights include developed, conveying the scientifi c detail beetles eating and midges WHAT NEXT? in an interesting way. With multimedia guides, there’s defi nitely a move away from thinking of them as A BUG’S LIFE were digitally separated, duplicated and guidebooks or catalogues towards employ- The BugWorld Experience (see P30), a manipulated to create a myriad of dramatic ing them as a way of helping visitors fi nd £3.8m ($6.2m, %4.3m) visitor attraction, scenes,” says Dave Postlethwaite, director an emotional connection with the site, which opened at Liverpool’s Albert Dock in of Centre Screen. “Highly sophisticated which means an increasing use of effects, August, uses a fi ve minute fi lm to introduce post-production techniques transformed music, documentary and dramatic tech- visitors to the experience and improve the television format footage onto a wide- niques. The technology is heading towards PR of bugs. Set within a wasp’s nest, visi- screen, 120 degree panoramic sequence,” providing ways of developing immersive tors watch Centre Screen’s show, which is US theme park company Six Flags has experiences and allowing visitors a more told by a wasp and gives an amusing take just introduced a number of large multime- personal experience and to continue that on life from a bug’s point of view. dia displays to entertain visitors queueing connection online when they’re at home. The client brief was to provide an engag- for rides. TV programmes about Six Flags Green issues will stay high on the ing, intelligent, surprising and entertaining are broadcast using characters and stories agenda, with manufacturers looking to six minute immersive experience, giving and promoting new attractions. According decrease energy consumption of their bugs some rare good PR, and backing up to Silvia Zordan, marketing co-ordinator products and, as money continues to be the attraction’s message that without bugs for Global Display Solutions, which pro- an all important issue, the applications of the human world would grind to a halt. vided the displays, the next move for these multimedia and audiovisual will need to be “To give visitors a bug’s eye view, images interactives is to stimulate actions from increasingly inventive and entertaining. ● The recession has prompted the production of some smaller and more affordable versions of products, which can bring the wow factor into attractions at a lower cost ELEMENT LABS est casino resort, the City of Dreams, has been designed to appeal to the COBRA 16 is one of the industry’s fi rst has used the technology in its 45m price-conscious market during the truly environmentally friendly LED dis- (148ft)-high double-sided screen. recession and, like its predecessors, play, according to its German designers, can create a “walk-through” projection Element Labs. It boasts a fraction of FOGSCREEN screen using water and digital tech- the power consumption and heat gen- Finnish company FogScreen unveiled nology. With this model, FogScreen eration of other LED displays and has a compact version of its projection is hoping to appeal to smaller visi- a 100,000-hour lifetime. Macau’s new- screen in August. The FogScreen eZ tor attractions and aquariums. 58 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Select. Turn. Listen. Solar/Self Powered Sound Store The U-Turn is a unique, environmentally friendly, self-powered digital sound store that provides audio interpretation in remote areas far from mains power. If you would like to know more about the new and improved U-Turn then please just give us a call on 01639 767007 or alternatively email [email protected]. Blackbox-av Ltd, 1 866 833 8580 25 Aberafan Road, 591 Albright Road, Uxbridge, Ontario L9P 1R4 Canada Baglan Industrial Park, Port Talbot. SA12 7DJ blackbox-av U-Turn PH: (905) 649-5047 FX: (905) 649-1757 Tel: 01639 767007 Fax: 01639 767008 audio video interactive Website: www.blackboxav.co.uk Email: [email protected] www.watertoys.com / [email protected] WATERPARKS POOLING RESOURCES Interaction and family fun are the Cowabunga Bay, Utah Cowabunga Bay, aterparks provide a focus for waterparks with toys and ’ great social experi- multi-rider slides taking prominence They ll stay and W ence, encouraging at many parks. Kath Hudson looks at interaction with friends and family, and many of this sea- this season’s waterparks and rides play all day! son’s new rides build on this Exciting hands-on adventures for the entire family. social aspect, with multi-lane confi gura- props and fi rst ever attractions.” Details of tions. As nothing delights three-year-olds the rides are still under wraps, but they’re more than the chance to give their parents being provided by WhiteWater West, a good soaking, attractions targeting Empex Watertoys and Proslide. young children are putting much more Spanning 20 hectares, the Nanjing water- focus on interactive toys. park will be one of the largest in China, and Domestic tourism is on the rise in the US has a distinctly Chinese architectural style, again, which is good news for waterparks blended with western attractions. It com- while the Asian market, particularly China, bines indoor and outdoor waterparks and a is buoyant at the moment. US theme park 1,000-bed hotel, with the aim of establishing designer, Forrec, is involved in a number of this as an all year round attraction. projects in the region, including two set to open next year: one in Nanjing, the other FAMILY FUN at The Beijing Watercube, which hosted Arizona saw the launch of a new waterpark Hersheypark, Pennsylvania the swimming competitions of the 2008 this June. Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix spans 35 Olympic Games. acres at the Adobe Dam Regional Park “The architectural signifi cance of the and has a number of WhiteWater West’s Beijing Watercube, as well as the unique signature attractions, including North form of the structure required a world class America’s fi rst Family Boomerango. design solution and out of the box think- Winner of the 2008 IAAPA Best Product ing,” says Forrec’s vice president, Anthony Award, this six-person ride fi res riders verti- Van Dam. “It’s a dynamic space and every cally up a wall, before falling back, passing detail has been considered from theatrical over a transition hump and into a splash- lighting and glass mosaic tiles to custom down pool below. The Count’s Splash Castle at Sesame Place in Wet ’n’ Wild, Arizona Philadelphia is aimed at two- to seven-year-olds Wild Wadi, Dubai Your Waterpark Company AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 [email protected] 4EL s WWWWHITEWATERWESTCOM Forrec is designing a waterpark at the Beijing Watercube, which hosted the swimming at the 2008 Olympics Chime Long, China Going Vertical Combination of 4 sensations in 1 attraction! The 35-acre Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix includes the Family Boomerango, winner of IAAPA’s 2008 Best Product Caribbean Bay, Korea 6HCDI=>C<9:A><=IHI=G::"N:6G"DA9HBDG:I=6C I=:8=6C8:ID<>K:I=:>GE6G:CIH6 There are also two-seater duelling Master The director of communications at Blaster uphill water coasters, featuring Sesame Place, Paula Pritchard, says it parallel slide paths that are the full length has proved a big hit this season: “The Ocean World, Korea of the ride, with gravity-defying drops Count’s Splash Castle was a highly and curves. The eight-lane Whizzard anticipated addition to Sesame Place sends riders through enclosed serpentine and the response from guests has been AquaTubes, before they race side by side tremendous. We recognise the appeal in a multi-lane confi guration. and success of water attractions in our Philadelphia waterpark Sesame Place park, and with the bulk of our attendance launched its largest new attraction in the occurring in the summer, guests naturally park’s 29-year history in May. The Count’s gravitate towards our water attractions.” Splash Castle, designed and created by Interactivity is also the key at the refur- SCS Interactive, is a multi-level interac- bished indoor waterpark at the Jyozankei tive waterplay attraction. Aimed at two- to Hotel in Sapporo, Japan. The park, which seven-year-olds, it has more than 90 play was under-utilised, has been revamped elements aimed at stimulating the imagina- to target young families. Previously the tion and providing hands-on entertainment pool was too deep, with no attractions for Wet ’n’ Wild, Arizona for families. Features include an 8ft (2.4m) young children. Now the depth has been tipping bucket, waterslides, water curtains, reduced, the lighting improved and a bridges, bubbler jets and hydro blasters. number of interactive features from Empex AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Your Waterpark Company [email protected] 4EL s WWWWHITEWATERWESTCOM WATERPARKS The Jyozankei waterpark in Japan (right), newly revamped for younger users, and (inset) Legoland, California Watertoys have been added, includ- VIRGINIA GRAEME BAKER ACT ing, among others, the Baby Bungee, Watertotter and Aquadunker, which all The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa use of more layers of protection in pools appeal to a young audience. Safety Act came into force in the US last and educate the public on the impor- December, in a bid to reduce the number tance of adult supervision around water. THRILLS AND SPILLS of drownings and accidents in swimming All public pools and spas in the US Legoland California has had a great pools and spas. Of injury-related deaths, must now have drain covers which are response to the latest anchor water ride drowning is the second leading cause of accredited by the American National in its Land of Adventure area this season. death in children aged one- to 14-years- Standards Institute and the American Prime Play was given the task of devising old in the US, accounting for 300 deaths Society of Mechanical Engineers. When a highly-themed ride, which could accom- and thousands of hospital visits, often there is a single main drain, other than modate 500 riders per hour and provide an resulting in permanent injury. an unblockable main drain, a second up-to-date take on traditional slides. The As well as reducing the number of acci- anti-entrapment system must also be result was an enormous platform where dents, the law intends to encourage the installed at the site. riders line up six at a time to go down the lanes, either on magic carpet-themed mats or double-helix corkscrews. Spanning 300ft (91m), the ride features coast of California in 1988 and decided he “The challenge with this type of slide is four water-drenched lanes side by side. wanted to fi nd a solution for inland surfi ng. to make a thrilling attraction for the rider, Riders lie on mats and travel down a chan- Having installed more than 100 FlowRiders while keeping it a safe and controlled nel, which includes an initial dip to build across the globe, the company is now experience. We accomplished this by cre- speed. Multiple bumps along the slide also rolling out the Wave House concept, ating a brand new set of moulds which allow riders to gain additional momentum. a complete venue delivering all the ele- would safely guide the riders down the The attraction can accommodate around ments of the Californian lifestyle under one slide, while maintaining their lane and have 600 guests an hour. roof – surfi ng, retail, live music, entertain- them come to a safe stop by the end of Another interactive family ride was ment, and food and beverage. The most the ride,” says Nathan Jones, director of opened at Conny-Land in Switzerland recent installation was at Sun City Mall in sales for Prime Play. this June. Designed by ABC engineering, Singapore in October and Europe’s fi rst Dollywood’s Splash Country, the Smoky Voodoo Island is a round boat ride that Wave House, the fi fth in total, has just been Mountains-based waterpark owned by allows passengers to interact with people confi rmed for the Puerto Venecia shopping country singer Dolly Parton, has already in other boats and even onlookers as they and leisure centre in northern Spain. unveiled details of the new attraction for move along a 200m (656ft) channel. Boats There seems to be no shortage of inno- next season, to add to its mix of some 30 are equipped with water cannon for each vation in the waterpark sector, from the ride waterslides. The Slick Rock Racer, from rider, who are seated looking outwards, manufacturers through to the park design- Proslide, is a multi-lane mat slide, inspired and there are also water cannon along the ers, and they all look set to continue to by Parton’s childhood games in mountain ride for onlookers to use. push the boundaries further. As Van Dam creeks: “My brothers and sisters and I says: “Many operators are realising that used to play in the creeks around home in INDOOR SURFING a good waterpark is as much about good the Smoky Mountains and more times than Urban surfi ng is a trend which is gathering design and operational planning as it is not we’d land on a mossy covered rock momentum. Wave Loch’s surfi ng experi- about great attractions. Gone are the days that sent us for a ride like you wouldn’t ence, FlowRider, is so compact it can be of poorly planned and sterile environments. believe. That’s the same kind of unex- accommodated in a space as small as a What all guests want is for their waterpark pected thrill and adventure that I had in municipal pool or deck on a cruise ship. to have a great ride mix, good shows and mind when I chose Slick Rock Racer for CEO of Wave Loch, Tom Lochtefeld, entertainment and a clean, safe and com- families to enjoy together.” came up with the idea while surfi ng off the fortable environment.” ● 62 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 An earth-friendly solution for pristine pool water. • Saves millions of gallons of water and waste • Removes over 99.9% of crypto in a single pass • Delivers pool water quality that’s second to none • Increases UV sanitation efficiency Proud Supplier Lalandia Aquadome, Denmark Blue Lagoon Waterpark, Wales WhiteWater World, Australia Wild Wadi Waterpark, Dubai Adventure Park, Australia INDUSTRY BEST NEW PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARD Call 800-832-8002 for a FREE Savings Audit. Since1956 Visit www.DefenderFilter.com to take a test drive. by EXHIBITION DESIGN Shakespeare and Darwin are given new leases PIONEERING of life and Chinese American stereotypes are challenged in three very different examples PORTRAYALS of exhibition design, Andrea Jezovit reports (Main picture) Screens depict life in 16th century Stratford where Shakespeare was born and grew up; (right) The Shakespeare Hall of Fame sarner THE PROJECT: design sees controlled groups of visitors Shakespeare’s Birthplace visitor guided through fi ve zones using care- Michael Bennett centre, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK fully timed audiovisual presentations, creative director lighting and automatic doors. Each zone Located in an unassuming red brick features its own theming and educa- building in the centre of Stratford-upon- tional show production, where artefacts What was your brief? Avon, the Shakespeare’s Birthplace are revealed as part of the sequence. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust wanted visitor centre held a static exhibition Highlights include a recreation of the an introduction for visitors prior to entering showcasing artefacts and cased litera- forest of Arden in Tudor Stratford, a 3D the cottage where Shakespeare was born. ture before Sarner’s redesign. Now it’s panoramic silhouette set depicting the Our brief was to redesign the static exhibi- home to Life, Love and Legacy: A New view across the River Thames, and a life- tion and bring the history of Shakespeare Introduction to William Shakespeare. size set of Shakespeare’s study. to life. We won the tender based on our This new exhibition brings the bard to concept of creating a ‘show experience’ life through the latest technology. The Opened: April 2009 rather than an exhibition. Prior to our redesign, the site encoun- tered problems with visitor fl ow. The large How did you combine the latest What was the biggest challenge? number of people going through the visitor technology with Shakespeare’s era? Creating such a powerful result on a lim- centre caused a bottleneck at the cot- The sets and scenery are designed to ited budget. The Trust is an independent tage, which can only accommodate small depict Shakespeare’s journey from being charity that cares for Shakespeare’s herit- groups. We’ve now designed the visitor a boy in quaint Tudor Stratford to life as an age and the project was partly funded by centre in such a way that it controls the adult in 16th Century London. Visitors are Advantage West Midlands. fl ow of people in timed zones and there- transported from one setting to the other fore limits the group sizes that move on through automated doors. What’s your favourite part? through to a tour of the cottage. I always think the best technology is hid- Zone 3, The Legacy. This is a wide screen den and we’ve created a show here that celebration of Shakespeare’s works with What was your inspiration? involves the visitor in the story, so they’re the reveal of The First Folio – the prized Our inspiration was theatre – we wanted to not aware of the technology around them. artefact in the Shakespeare Birthplace create a feeling of drama rather than just This makes the attraction timeless and the Trust collection. Also, the opportunity to display objects in a museum. We’ve used visitor gets immersed in the subject and work with two of the country’s most won- artefacts as part of the show and they then their surroundings, not distracted by the derful actors, Patrick Stewart and Juliet become the performers. workings behind it. Stephenson, who narrated the show. 64 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 (Main picture and below right) pigeon holes, inspired by Darwin’s work with pigeon breeding, are used to display artefacts; (bottom right) a full-size replica of Darwin’s cabin on HMS Beagle designmap THE PROJECT: Entitled Uncovering Origin, the exhibi- Uncovering Origin, tion tells the story of Darwin and his work, Daniel Sutton director Down House, Kent, UK family life and legacy through six rooms, which each explore a different theme. How did you work with the client? Designmap created a £1m (US$1.64m, Structures with cases and pigeonholes Due to the complex and, to some extent, %1.2m) exhibition for this site, the home containing display objects and graphics. controversial nature of the subject there of Charles Darwin, on behalf of English One highlight is a full-size hologram was, necessarily, a large project team. Heritage in honour of the 200th anni- recreation of the scientist’s cabin on HMS The client side included interpretation versary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th Beagle during his epic fi ve-year voyage. specialists, historians, conservators and anniversary of the publication of On the building inspectors as well as numerous origin of the species. Opened: February 2009 external consultants advising on the sci- entifi c, historic and biographic elements of the exhibition. Despite this, the brief scientists and others in this period, with functionality which expressed a particular was fairly open, with the client lead, Jenny extremely humble means at their disposal. idea. The mechanisms were then built into Cousins, encouraging us to think creatively We wanted to capture a sense of collecting, the overall design framework for the room. around the issues. Full team meetings studying and classifi cation in domestic cir- An example is the use of mutascopes were held on site each month during the cumstances. Books literally fl y off the shelf showing hand-cranked animations of the 10 month contract where we presented in the legacy section, symbolising the dis- evolution of the blue whale. updates on the design for comment and semination of his ideas by other authors. approval. At three key stages in the project, What’s your favourite part? designs were presented to the English What was the biggest challenge? One of my favourite elements is the dig- Heritage senior management team. The The interactive room. Part of the brief was ital Pepper’s Ghost we created in the contract was design and build with fi t-out to create a series of 10 low-tech interac- reconstructed Beagle cabin. One of our undertaken by MDM Props. This enabled tives to explain the key elements of the concepts from the initial pitch, the effect us to build a close-knit project team includ- theory of evolution by natural selection. was technically challenging and diffi cult ing client, designer and fi t-out contractor. With the exception of three AVs, all inter- to achieve within the budget. I also like actives use technology that was available the use of pigeonholes – a simple open What was your inspiration? in Victorian England. Through consulta- display technique we utilised throughout. Darwin’s working methodology. Darwin tion with the client and various science The pigeonholes were inspired by Darwin’s epitomises the Victorian scientist and the advisors, a number of mechanisms were work with pigeon breeding, but also con- huge leaps in understanding made by developed by MDM to deliver the low-tech nect well to the concept of classifi cation. AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 65 EXHIBITION DESIGN PHOTO: MATTER MoCA’s aim is to be a museum about Chinese Americans, not about China matter practice THE PROJECT: experience with a historical overview of With a Single Step: Stories in the Chinese immigration, individual stories, Sandra Wheeler Making of America, Museum of and artefacts and images. principal Chinese in America (MoCA), The content is presented through New York City, US audiovisual pieces, text and exhibits, with the gallery spaces divided into a series What was the brief? Matter has designed a new core exhibit of rooms presenting material in a rough To design the core exhibition for the that forms the heart of MoCA’s new chronology. The exhibition wraps around new location of the Museum of Chinese Maya Lin designed building. Entitled a sky-lit courtyard, which is the building’s in America. As this core exhibition has With a Single Step: Stories in the Making architectural centrepiece. expanded ten-fold from what was on dis- of America, the exhibition presents the play in the old location, MoCA spent the different layers of the Chinese American Opened: July 2009 fi rst two years of the project honing the message and focus of the exhibition. openings, or doorways, into this courtyard, tional Chinese house, domestic furnishings How did you work with the client? which gives the galleries access to natu- and cabinets as a starting point, but then We were hired as a design team, not a ral light. Media portraits of key Chinese allowed the design to be driven by the content development team. However, we Americans are projected onto full height content. The references are consequently served as MoCA’s test audience and edito- glass in these openings. We likened these quite abstract and layered with contempo- rial sounding board as they developed the to the occupants of the house. We also rary signifi cance. This is a museum about narrative of the story. We visualised, recom- determined the colour palette and several Chinese Americans, not China. mended, edited and situated content and of the fi nishes in the permanent exhibition developed the fi nishes and lighting strate- area and ceiling layouts. What was the biggest challenge? gies. For the graphics, we collaborated With any identity museum, there’s always with graphic design fi rm, mgmt. Design. What was your inspiration? the challenge of deciding which part of the One of the challenges we faced was that story should be told. Many people assume How does your design work with even though the new galleries represented the Chinese American story is relegated Maya Lin’s overall design? a considerable space expansion from to what’s easily discerned walking through Maya had an initial architectural plan ges- what they had, the plan is a linear pas- tourist ready Chinatown, but this story is so ture for the museum, centring around a sage around the central courtyard in the much larger and more complex than that. two-storey atrium created below an existing museum. Most of it’s only 12ft (3.65m) The Chinese American experience light-well in the building. Maya’s inspira- or 9ft (2.75m) wide, so this dictated the is anything but homogenous or singly- tion for this was the traditional Chinese range of layout strategies considerably. described, so the challenge was to edit house plan with its interior courtyard. We But it also gives the museum this intimate, and represent the diversity, yet maintain a expanded on this further, placing glazed domestic scale. We looked at the tradi- consistent thread or story throughout. ● 66 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 EUROPEAN NETWORK OF SCIENCE CENTRES AND MUSEUMS Ecsite Annual Conference 2010 DASA, DORTMUND, GERMANY, 3-5 JUNE WWW.ECSITE-CONFERENCE.EU In 2010, the Ecsite Annual Conference meets the Euro- Whether you come from a science centre or museum, pean Capital of Culture in Dortmund, Germany’s green a natural history museum, a university, an aquarium, metropolis. a zoo, a research institute or a private company, the network’s 21st Annual Conference is the date for your The year’s most important European gathering for sci- calendar. ence centres and museums will be hosted by DASA, a unique institution combining a traditional museum and We look forward to meeting you in Dortmund, to make modern science centre with a distinct creative flair, to the most of the atmosphere of creativity and culture for provide an innovative experience of yesterday‘s, today‘s our 21st Annual Conference. and tomorrow‘s world of work. We will take this opportunity to look at the world of our own work, with three days of challenging sessions and heated discussion, social events and business opportu- nities, preceded by two days of in-depth pre-conference meetings and workshops. ORGANISED BY CONFERENCE PARTNERS CORPORATE DONORS INTERACTIVES 3DBA sees growth in interactive children’s simulation attractions HE=;H>EK8;D IN TOUCH BVcV\^c\Y^gZXidg!):87 RM@ 86H:HIJ9N PHOTOS: ©HOLLIS PHOTOS: Egd_ZXi6edaad/ isitors to the National I]ZAjcVgAVcY^c\h Lander Simulator. Visitors of Project Appollo is the latest new attraction Space Centre (NSC) CVi^dcVaHeVXZ all ages can enjoy this exhibit at the National Space Centre in Leicester in Leicester, UK, can as it has a variety of skill V 8ZcigZJ@ now climb to the top of the levels, but as Malika Andress, 360° full-dome shows, created a futuristic 42m (138ft) Rocket Tower and head of marketing, notes: “It’s the lunar training facility and added a 3D SIM land the lunar module. Visitors can children who select and achieve the experience. It has also partnered with the also have their photo taken on the surface highest diffi culty landings!” The simulator space industry to build a scientifi c test of the moon, deliver their own alternative shows visitors how Neil and Buzz would facility that’s open to the public, developed words to Neil Armstrong’s famous ‘that’s have approached the surface of the moon an interactive media gallery telling today’s one small step…’ speech, relive the experi- and allows them to experience the moment news from space and added Project Apollo. ence of watching that famous fi rst step in when the Eagle landed, something every- Andress has exciting plans for the exhibi- a 1969 living room, share their memories body has seen on their television screens. tion. “The moon landing was the culmination and thoughts about the fi rst lunar landing NSC has responded to developments in of the iconic period in history when America and get up close to a piece of the moon technology, advanced fi ndings in the fi eld and Russia raced against each other to returned by the Apollo astronauts. of space exploration and space science achieve all the fi rsts in space exploration,” One of the most popular interactive and the needs and desires of visitors. In Andress says. “So the natural development elements of Project Apollo is the Lunar the last eight years it has implemented six will be to tell the tale of the Space Race.” 68 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 xhibitions don’t get much more 86H:HIJ9N E hands on than At-Bristol’s Animate it!, 6c^bViZ^i which invites visitors to 6i"7g^hida!J@ create models out of clay and create their own anima- tions and broadcast them via a website. The editing software is available on the museum’s website so visi- tors can continue their animations at home. Developed in association with Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace and Gromit, the exhibition includes props and artefacts on a three-year loan from Aardman, including a set from their latest animation, A Matter of Loaf and Death. “We’ve worked with Aardman Animations on two previous animation exhibitions, the popularity of both with our visitors meant that we have been planning a more perma- Aardman Animations worked on the new attraction for the At-Bristol science centre nent animation presence for some years,” says exhibition manager Emma Cook. are popular, but Cook’s favourite was when pieces, Liz Bryan Graphics created the “When our CEO Goéry Delacote got talking a visitor brought in their entire collection of Animate It! logo and characters while Qube with Aardman Chairman Dave Sproxton, Sylvanian Families and animated them. Design Associates put together the graph- the only question became when to start!” The concept design for the exhibition ics and Polysigns printed them. The exhibition is 250sq m (2,690sq ft) was done by Razorbite while the exhib- In the future, Cook plans to enhance the and aimed at families with children aged its were designed in-house. Dark Green experience for visitors. “We want to give between seven and 14, followed by KS2 Media were used for the software develop- group leaders the ability to collect and school groups. Space-based animations ment, Techniquest cut some of the larger review fi lms created by their group,” she says. EB?L?;HL?D9;DJ 8dbbjc^XVi^dchbVcV\Zg!6aiZg[VXZ RM@ AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 69 INTERACTIVES n Egyptian temple, which is inhabited 86H:HIJ9N A by alien pres- GVbhZh/i]Z ences is the setting for a new laser battle attrac- GZVlV`Zc^c\ tions at Italian amusement Æ6HBJAI>"B:9>66C9 I7BBO9EHFEH7J?ED ?d]cLddY!8:D RM@ WHAT’S THE APPEAL? The appeal to visitors is always based on the amount of fun that WHAT’S NEXT? they have. We have a special bonus target in our rides: one that The next step will be even more sophisticated interactive technology looks the same as every other target, but is specially programmed with 4D effects. We’ve just completed installation of our third North to deliver several thousand extra points, so the real fan will work Pole Adventure dark ride for China’s OCT group. This one’s in their hard to fi nd that bonus package. We can also program the ride new Shanghai Happy Valley. cars to react in unexpected ways, creating elements of surprise. Ghost Blasters II, an effects-fi lled darker version of our original And some Sally rides have multiple endings, which vary depending Ghost Blasters, opened recently at Elitch Gardens, and we’re devel- on the cumulative score of each ride car. oping Power Blast!, which we’ll introduce at this year’s IAAPA show. 70 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 INTERACTIVES JEJ7B?CC;HI?ED C^XdaVh7Vehi!]ZVYd[egdYjXibVg`Zi^c\ RM@ WHAT’S NEXT? For us, the future will be the mobility. Our developments are based on full mobile experience where the guest moves in a free-roaming environment using mobile devices (smart phones, portable video consoles or specifi c devices). Imagine a treasure hunt in a park or in a museum where thousands of visitors are playing together. WHAT ARE YOUR LATEST PROJECTS? Our Interactive 3D Live Show sweeps guests into a story using a real performer who manages the session and incredible real time effects in 3D. The performer has discussions with the audience and puts them inside the 3D show. Every show is different and can be adapted to suit the audience – children, classrooms, special events and edutainments. In our fi rst location in South Korea, we present an interactive adventure in the city of the future. Guests interact with the MC and talk about the new innovation and tech- nologies in this futuristic lifestyle. isitors to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard can land a virtual 86H:HIJ9N V F-35 aircraft and helicopter on to one of the Royal Navy aircraft 8Vgg^ZgHig^`Z carriers of the future in the attrac- tion’s new Carrier Strike exhibition. Edgihbdji]=^hidg^X Located on the ground fl oor of 9dX`nVgY!J@ the Action Stations, Carrier Strike, is an interactive attraction. It’s aim is to provide a memorable and informative experi- ence of the largest capital ships to be put into service with the Royal Navy, and the technologies that make them possible. There are more than 27 large-scale inter- active exhibits in Action Stations. Visitors have the opportunity to escape from pirates in the simulator ride, race up the tallest indoor climbing tower in the UK and shoot down a gunship helicopter. They can also fl y a replica Merlin helicopter, just like the one stationed on the navy’s newest and most advanced warship HMS Daring, which is real world, not spy fi ction,” says events Carrier Strike brings to life a Royal equipped with realistic controls and buttons. manager Melanie Alderson. “This is the Navy aircraft carrier of the future As well as an interactive science and navy facing real threats and dealing with technology gallery, there’s also a 25-minute them as they would on the high seas.” tion with the Aircraft Carrier Alliance fi lm profi ling the navy in action. “It packs The exhibit was developed by engineers (ACA), with the venture strongly sup- the punch of a James Bond fi lm, but is the at BAE Systems Insyte in conjunc- ported by the team at Action Stations. 72 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ?DJ;HB?DAB=BJ: ?d]c=jYY!bVcV\^c\Y^gZXidg RM@ WHAT’S NEXT? We’re working on rides with higher-powered water cannon, which shoot targets, and we have just completed a Yogi Bear themed interactive water ride for Warner Brothers in Madrid, Spain. =;IJKH;J;A?D9"KI ;gVcX^hBVX9dj\Vaa!Xd"[djcYZg RM@ WHAT’S NEXT? As multi-media and graphics become more sophisticated, and as we see greater availability and lower cost in cameras and other hardware, applications for 3D and 2D gesture-based interactive experiences will proliferate. Attractions, public spaces and even homes will be full of this type of engaging interactive display. Gesture control technology is even making its way into electronic devices such as consoles, television sets and personal comput- ers. Microsoft’s Windows 7 release is capable of both touch and gesture controls, and is set up to allow us to deliver our gesture technology connected to a monitor. Multi-touch is also a huge growth area. Multi-touch interface technology is moving on to verti- cal surfaces, and that means greater opportunities for collaborative interactive gaming experiences in attractions. WHAT ARE YOUR LATEST PROJECTS? Our WallFX is an interactive game with special effects on a wall, which are controlled by hand and body gestures. When combined with our ScreenXtreme and 3D tracking offerings, the user can see their real-time video image onscreen. Their image will mimic their real-live movements and interact with computer-generated objects and characters in exciting adventure or sporting simulations. It’s a Wii-like experience, except the user doesn’t need to hold a remote and the user sees their actual image, not a character. ● AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 73 AUDIOGUIDES K?<JKFIPK In the second of a two part series, Andrea Jezovit speaks to the creative teams behind audioguides and get a behind the scenes look at recent projects What kind of research do you do? Bernadette Ross Research takes many forms, from interviews to archive research, senior creative project manager both audio and visual, to seeking out primary resources. Acoustiguide Discussing the content with our clients is very important, especially in understanding their visitor demographics and ensuring our con- tent is tailored to suit their visitors. Which attractions have you created guide content for? We’ve created thousands of hours of audio tours for sites world- How do you create content that’s both fun and educational? wide. In the UK we count the world heritage site of the Roman Baths, Fun and education are not mutually exclusive; it’s how the interpre- Westminster Abbey and the British Museum among our clients. tation and information are communicated that’s key. This tenet runs from our work on children’s tours, where we use interviews with How do you work with your clients and children to create and advance ideas, to advising on the right kind team to come up with content? of platform for a tour. It’s a collaborative and consultative process with our clients’ cura- We recently delivered a series of video podcasts for BT which torial and interpretation staff. We work with a wonderful team of illustrate this point: theirs was a charming documentary piece on productions associates, from scriptwriters to sound engineers, the history of telecommunications which we delivered in cut- allowing us to cherry pick the team for each project and thereby ting-edge style, as podcasts. We strive to ensure the content is ensure each tour is bespoke. An initial project launch meeting is engaging and provoking and that the platform’s a perfect match. followed by a scripting and consulting period. A tour will usually go through three or four drafts before fi nal What do you look for in a voice actor? approval. The client is consulted on choice of music and voice- We’re very lucky to have a wonderful ‘stable’ of voiceover art- over artists at this stage. It’s also during this period that images are ists whose dulcet tones can cajole visitors into engaging with the prepared and formatted in-house. In addition, archive fi lm footage, objects on a tour or evoke time and space at a historic site. Key which may also be used to advance the narrative, is supplied to us attributes are a facility with all kinds of scripts and texts and an abil- and formatted in-house. Our scriptwriters and producers combine ity to adapt. the best elements of audio and visual to achieve a balanced and engaging tour tailored to the needs of the client and their site. Do you use any special storytelling techniques? We offer narrative-led tours, documentary-style tours or a marriage of the two. The former are very much story-led and allow the client much more control of the narrative fl ow. The latter are more lay- ered. Our scriptwriters produce a judiciously-layered script and it’s the presentation and placing of information through scripted com- mentary or edited interview that’s key. Acoustiguide also offers children’s tours (traditional audio and multimedia), visually impaired tours, basic English tours, British sign language tours and mobility impaired tours, all of which have the previously mentioned styles as baseline. What’s the most challenging part of the production process? We like a challenge! Currently our marketing and multimedia coor- dinator’s creative muscle is being challenged with producing a fully Westminster Abbey and The Roman Baths are among the multimedia tour for children with some splendid learning games, UK heritage sites that Acoustiguide provides tours for while our scriptwriters tackle subjects as disparate as Le Corbusier 74 AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Acoustiguide offers tours for children, the visually impaired, in basic English and with sign language, as well as traditional audio and multimedia tours for sites including the British Museum and Shah ‘Abbas. Our project managers are also honing the dark How will content evolve over the next few years? science of project management with ever more complex tours. It will become much more intuitive – position and orientation is key to make sure your visitors’ experiences are fl uid. Multimedia What’s the biggest trend in guide content? elements should be apt and complement the objects/site. They There’s much more of a focus on multimedia, not as a technologi- should never be gratuitous. User-generated content is also an area cal given, but as another way of communicating content. There’s of interest and debate, which deserves more initiatives. also much more of a demand for documentary-style tours. TV trends tend to trickle down. Broadcast tv audiences have become What projects are you currently working on? used to quick editing and more tightly scripted information; we We’re working on a multimedia children’s tour for the Wallace need to respond to this. Visitor dwell time has decreased so we Collection, which will be in addition to a three-hour adult and tailor our tours accordingly. This doesn’t mean any compromise in visually impaired tour. We’re also working on two new temporary content, but rather a renewed approach to the method and tech- exhibitions for the Guggenheim, Bilbao, in addition to upgrading niques of conveying that information. the permanent collection tour to our multimedia Opus units. CENTRE SCREEN Royal Institution, London entre Screen created a multi- How did you come up The imagery was developed from dif- C media PDA interpretation guide with the content? ferent elements of archive photographs, to bring the heritage attrac- We became absorbed in the RI’s sci- illustrations and etchings. tion to life for visitors as part of its £22m entifi c experiments and their related (US$35m, %24m) refurbishment. Centre apparatus and worked closely with the How did you work with the narrator? Screen’s director and executive producer, curatorial staff, the exhibition designer We made sure the voices we recorded Paul Kucharski, tells us about the project. (Event) and science experts to generate were not those of a narrator in the tradi- a series of initial scripts and storyboards. tional sense, but character voices. We What was your brief? The scripts and a demo version of the thoroughly briefed, prepped and directed To generate an interactive multimedia eGuide were then checked within teach- the various actors to inject personality PDA interpretation guide [eGuide] for use ing circles and audience evaluation into the recordings and treated the dia- in individual and group situations. The sessions to ensure the tone and content logue more like a series of radio plays brief for the eGuide content was to create suited the target audience. than traditional narration. a series of animated mini fi lms with char- acter voiced audio, interactive games What kind of research did you do? What was the biggest challenge? and demonstration fi lms to bring the We drew on the knowledge and under- To understand the intricacies of the scien- stories of the people, objects and experi- standing of the curatorial staff to tifi c detail involved so we could create a ments associated with London’s Royal extract the base data we needed for series of interpretations that relayed the Institution (RI) to life. With a focus on the the storylines. We then worked with an often quite complex subject matter in an RI’s collection of focal objects, we used interactive science expert and biology interesting and entertaining way without it fl ash programming to produce quirky teacher to ‘translate’ the content of the being dumbed down. This was made possi- Pythonesque animations telling the experiments into a language all could ble by the client and the designer’s appetite stories of, among others, Faraday’s elec- understand, while maintaining accuracy. for the non-traditional content suggestions tromagnet, Tyndall’s Tube and Davey’s This gave us the baseline to develop the and their willingness to push the bounda- Safety lamp. fi nal recorded scripts. ries of storytelling and its delivery. ● AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 75 AUDIOGUIDES Hjalmar Olsson Ord & Vision How do you work with your clients and team to come up with audioguide content? It varies quite a lot! Some clients hand me a more or less workable script for our com- pany to simply record and deliver. Other clients let me completely loose to see what I come up with in the exhibition or in the area of interest. This leaves me more space to add creativity to the audioguide, which often means a better tour. A good way to start, that I try to apply as often as possible, is to stroll around the museum or park with an expert. I bring a fresh view and start fantastic surrealistic painting, keep the At Ord & Vision, asking all kinds of questions – what’s this, what’s that? Often the focus on the picture, not on, let’s say, audioguide content expert gives me fascinating stories on how a painting or sculpture how the futuristic movement started is designed to was created and brought in place. I try to focus on what we see as way back when. Secondly, I use a Q&A transport the much as possible. By working this way, I know we keep the future approach where station one raises a listener to the era listener involved and active. question and the answer awaits us fur- and setting, as well ther along the audiowalk. as describe what What kinds of research do you do to create content? they are seeing I do some traditional research work, looking up dates and names, What’s the most etc, but I’m also on the look out for little anecdotes, quotes, myths exciting audioguide – anything that can fl esh out the core facts. I also try and think in project you’ve worked on? terms of sounds – what did it sound like in this apartment in the The Stockholm Murders, or Mord & Blod, project covering the 1800s or in this great medieval hall? Finally I also try to ‘feel’ my way many murders that have taken place in Stockholm has been very to the object. Simple piling of facts quickly gets boring. If I can con- delightful to produce. For once there has been no client or commis- vey more subjective emotions the guide benefi ts from it. sioner but rather our own tour distributed via the webclient Guide to me, that works as a platform for this type of tour. How do you create content that’s both fun and educational? This walk required extensive research and very careful instruc- I love doing children’s tours in which I can work quite freely to add tions to get the listener in exactly the right spot to understand how humour and often drama. One of the best children’s guides I’ve Sweden’s late prime minister Olof Palme was assassinated. produced runs at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm. The great Swedish King Gustav Vasa is one of the narrators. He has a very What other audioguide projects are you working on? personal view on things and demands One is for the county museum in Örebro great respect for himself and the objects, covering how one of Napoleons marshals whereas the other narrator is a young – Jean Baptiste Bernadotte – was elected woman of today who educates him on the “RULE NUMBER king of Sweden in the early 1800s. Another objects and today’s values. This works as is for an art museum in Stockholm about both education and entertainment. ONE IS TO TALK the Swedish 18th century painter, Carl ABOUT WHAT WE Eldh. Hopefully these will go into produc- What do you look for in a narrator? tion this summer. Personality and passion. I have occasion- SEE AS MUCH ally picked a ‘perfect’ voice who has done AS POSSIBLE” Which attractions have you thousands of commercials, but once we created content for? get into the story of an old castle or a paint- Museum of National antiquities, ing it becomes evident that the person has Stockholm; Nordic Museum, Stockholm; no interest in the subject. So I try to fi nd narrators that know the Royal armoury, Stockholm; Talk of the Town, Stockholm city guide; fi eld and are perhaps known to the general public as an ‘expert’. Museum of Architecture, Stockholm; In the footsteps of Knight Arn, This heightens the credibility and narrative quality. Western Sweden; 3000 years along the Göta Älv river, Gothenburg; Stockholm county museum outdoor phoneguide; Stegeborg Do you use any special storytelling techniques? Castle, Östergötland parish; Stockholm City Hall garden, Outdoor Rule number one is to talk about what we actually see. The tour guide; Big Four wild life museum, Värmland Swede; Stockholm needs to take the visitor elsewhere too, but if they’re in front of a Murders (Mord & Blod), Stockholm. 76 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Reseller Ticket Reconciliation Doesn’t Have to Be Like This. eGalaxy Reseller Web Store is here. • Automated ticket management saves time and money • Accurately track and manage your ticket sales • Dramatically increase operations efficiency Get started today: Call: 800.487.8587 Visit: www.gatewayticketing.com www.harrogateweek.org.uk For the Turf Management and Groundscare Professional king sh Thin • Fre cts ntra Co nto s i ct ta Exhibition on Tuesday 19 January 2010 C Wednesday 20 January 2010 rn u Thursday 21 January 2010 T • s s e in s Education u 17-21 January 2010 B r o Venue f n Harrogate o i International Centre s North Yorkshire s England a P fun-kit.net TICKETING SYSTEMS Worldwide Ticketcraft uses RFID system Radio Frequency Identifi ca- tion (RFID) systems from Worldwide Ticketcraft are enabling visitor attraction operators to understand vis- itation patterns in detail and Ref: tech expands to plan and anticipate how guests will use an attraction. ticketing services Digital bar code readers positioned around a theme park or attraction Andy Povey has left attractions op- can identify individual wristbands as visitors walk past them – bar codes erator Merlin to head up ticketing on the wristbands show which type of visitor is wearing the band – adult, specialist Ref:tech with the aim of child or youth – or alternatively, they can be linked to a database hold- bridging the gap between the needs ing complete customer details to allow even more complex demographic of operators and the supply of ticket- analysis. The company says RFID fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keywords ing systems and software. systems are more tamperproof too. worldwide ticketcraft The Ref:tech system stores data in more than one place, so if connections are lost, it can be easily restored using Stimare Ticketing brings innovation to printers a synch tool to avoid loss of trading A new ticket printer from Stimare revenue. This also means live data can Ticketing claims to crack a number be seen anywhere at any time to sup- of problems encountered with cur- port management decision-making. rently available machines. fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keyword The machine has a 2MB mem- Ref:tech ory, so logos can be loaded onto the printer rather than the server, speeding up printing and allowing more complex branding. It can also handle tickets with RFID chips, so credit and own- ership data can be held and the machine’s moveable sensor means fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keywords it can print on all ticket stocks. Stimare Ticketing Gamma Dataware at Gateway systems The Beatles Story for Atlantis Dubai The Beatles Story attraction, in Liver- Gateway Ticketing has installed a pool, UK, is using Gamma Dataware’s RFID wristband system at the Atlan- system for admissions, ticketing, tis waterpark and resort in Dubai. bookings, retail, stock control and Designed as a replacement for purchase order processing. cash in the park, guests can pur- The solution delivers information on chase, charge and recharge a a real-time basis for analytical, con- wristband at any Point of Sale sta- trol and planning purposes. tion, using it to pay for lockers, food, Also included in the installation is beverages and souvenirs. POS touch screen hardware from Galaxy also installed order entry, Epson, and souvenir ticket printers resource management, wireless ad- for the admissions points. mission control and turnstiles at the fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keywords fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keyword site, as well as a print at home tick- Gamma Dataware Gateway Ticketing eting system for customers. 78 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 www.skidata.com ( ) Name * + Ticket Sold B53 Parking Space OK Cust. Data -. /4 Balance 6 * 7 Purchases . 8 Info O : ;/ Arrival TOR Systems Happy Guests with World Class Visitor Solutions SKIDATA Solutions 'SQTPIXI&YWMRIWW7SPYXMSR3JJIVMRK Everything else is taken care of - by SKIDATA. 8MGOIXMRK %HZERGI&SSOMRK Your business in focus I ;IFWEPIW 1IQFIVWLMT 1EVOIXMRK %GGIWW'SRXVSP *MRHSYXQSVIEX [[[XSVW]WXIQWGSYO 'EPPYWSR fun-kit.net When timing TICKETING SYSTEMS Lo-Q and Six Flags extend arrangement Lo-Q, supplier of virtual queuing systems to the theme park and at- tractions industry, has announced is that Six Flags is to introduce its solution in two further theme parks crucial... within its portfolio of 20 attractions in the US, Mexico and Canada. Six Flags brands the Lo-Q’s sys- tem as the ‘Flash Pass’. During ® ...choose Time Pursuit 2008, more than a million people the leisure activity used the system, which provides guests with a hand held wireless booking system. device – a Q-bot – which allows them to reserve their favourite ride from any- where in the park. This enhances their stay by reducing queuing. Six Flags A latest generation, web based has been using Lo-Q since 2001 – fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keyword customer management system, eight of its parks use the system. lo-q designed to grow your revenues and drive productivity. Skidata and Ticket Online join forces Sells gate admissions, time based " As part of a new agreement, tickets activities & services, merchandise, from the provider Ticket Online are gift vouchers, and automates the now fully compatible with the SKI- management of pre-packaged and DATA access management system. bespoke event days. For all stadia and arena operators already equipped with a SKIDATA " Enables multi-channel, multi-site system, there only needs to be a sales and incorporates franchise minor software change in the form management. of a simple SKIDATA interface up- " A consistently reliable, friendly date to facilitate holders of tickets and easy-to-use booking tool, issued by Ticket Online. Ticket Online Software GmbH, delivering an outstanding customer which is headquartered in Hamburg, fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keyword experience. Germany, was founded in 1997. skidata " Now available as a customisable product to the wider leisure industry. VenPoS Express solution introduced Vennersys has introduced the VENPoS Express solution, which is designed to enable smaller at- tractions to enjoy the benefits of a single, purpose-designed ticketing and point of sale solution. VENPoS Express takes many of the leisure activity booking system the features of the VENPoS system and delivers them, pre-loaded on a touch-screen PoS system. The package includes CHIP and Contact us on 01638 500 400 PIN EFT software and on-site fun-kit.net/museum-kit.net keyword set-up and training as well as com- email [email protected] vennersys prehensive software support. www.timepursuit.com 80 AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT Call +44 (0)1462 471903 to book your space BUYERS GUIDE AMUSEMENT RIDES CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT MULTIMEDIA AV THEMING LIGHT, SOUND & VIDEO SHOW CONTROL SIMULATION THEMED CONSTRUCTION Amusement ride manufacturer since 1952 EXHIBITS ROCKWORK BERTAZZON 3B Srl Sernaglia - Italy WATER FEATURES Tel. +39.0438.966291 FACADES Fax +39.0439.966165 SCULPTURES E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 001-262-677-6060 www.bertazzon.com Email: [email protected] BODY DRYERS DESIGN & THEMING SIMULATION RIDES 5D WATERPARK ATTRACTIONS Specializing in the ultimate waterslides, Tel: +44 (0)1202 890705 interactive play structures and more! [email protected] T: +1.604.273.1068 www.haystack-dryers.com www.whitewaterwest.com COSTUME CHARACTERS DESIGN & THEMING TICKETING WATERPLAY RAINBOW PRODUCTIONS The World’s Leading Producer of Redemption Tickets... Stock, custom-printed and BAR CODED Costume creation & cartoon tickets available. character appearances A Century of Quality, Service, and Innovation PO Box 547 Shamokin, PA 17872 Contact Danny Smith: +44 (0)20 8254 5312 Toll Free 800-829-0829 [email protected] Toll Free Fax 800-829-0888 International Dept. 717-672-2900 www.rainbowproductions.co.uk International Fax 717-672-2999 COSTUME CHARACTERS INTERACTIVE & 4-D ATTRACTION WET LEISURE PLAY PRODUCTS Book your advert WORLD CLASS on our website Amazing Characters! and be seen by [email protected] +44 (0)8706 268024 over 11,000 buyers every month. www.frenzycreative.co.uk www.3dba.be BRANDLANDS/ARCHITECTS/BOTANIC/CULTURAL/MUSEUMS Call the Sales Team Today to Discuss Your Booking Hippo Leisure Products Ltd, Unit 18, Estover Road, Estover, Plymouth PL6 7PY 01462 431385 Tel: +44 (0) 1752 313075 E: [email protected] www.attractionsmanagement.co.uk W: www.hippoleisure.com To subscribe to Attractions Management log on to www.leisuresubs.com email: [email protected] tel +44 1462 471913 fax +441462 433909. Annual subscription rates are UK £34, Europe £45 rest of world £65, students UK £17 ...museums brandlands cultural attractions botanic gardens Attractions Management is published each quarter by The Leisure Media Company Limited, Portmill House, Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Herts SG5 1DJ, UK and is distributed in the USA by SPP, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. zoos safari parks visitor centres themed attractions mixed Periodicals postage paid @ Manchester, PA. POSTMASTER. Send US address changes to Attractions Management, c/o development heritage centres science centres hotels restaurants... PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437 USA The views expressed in print are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher The Leisure Media Company Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system t +44 (0)20 8662 4600 [email protected] www.rayhole-architects.com or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recorded or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder. Printed by The Manson Group Printers. © Cybertrek Ltd 2009 ISSN 1479/9154 AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 attractionsmanagement.com/digital 81 O d D J O B Restrictive costumes and outdoor swimming in winter mean being a mermaid isn’t always plain sailing, but Marcy Terry tells Kathleen Whyman why she took to the job like a fi sh to water A FISHY TAIL Marcy Terry, mermaid manager, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Florida How did you become a mermaid? many of the shows as I used to, but I fi ll in for ill- I grew up in the area and have always wanted to work nesses and holiday and love the choreography side. at Weeki Wachee. I’d pretend I was a mermaid when I was little and am a very strong swimmer and dancer. Highs and lows of the job I auditioned as soon as I turned 18 in 1997 and have There’s no other job like it. We get to swim for the been here ever since. public and the little girls believe we’re really mer- maids. We’re like small town celebrities here. What training is needed? The low is that we get really cold as we perform in They train us here at Weeki Wachee. We get scuba the water outside. The shows are 30 to 40 minutes certifi ed and taught how to breathe on the air hoses. long and the water’s 74 degrees, so our body temper- Then we learn the choreography, mermaid swimming ature drops. There’s a heated tube room that we go The mermaids at and how to swish the tail. We’re also taught how to go into before the show then we enter the water through Weeki Wachee down to the air locks under the stage in case we can’t a tube that’s fi lled from the spring. It goes down 16ft Springs State Park fi nd the air hoses and need air. After three- to six- (5m) and out about 62 ft (19m) and has the air hoses have been performing months of training we can start performing. in it, so we don’t feel the outside temperature unless since 1947. Mermaids we get out of the water outside. perform synchronised What do mermaids wear? ballet moves under- We wear bikini tops and lycra tails with fl ippers in How do you breathe underwater? water while breathing the bottom, which zip up at the side. Our legs are We hold the air hoses and incorporate breathing from through air hoses hid- restricted in the tail so we learn to move gracefully them into our routine. The new girls breathe more den in the scenery. and look relaxed when performing. It’s not comfort- often as they’re nervous, but experienced mermaids As well as watching able to wear, but you get used to it. We don’t wear can hold their breath for two minutes. the mermaid shows, weights so have to control our buoyancy with how visitors can take a much air we hold and exhale. That’s the hardest part. How do people react when you river boat cruise and tell them you’re a mermaid? canoe or kayak on the How many shows do you do? If they’re from the area they’re familiar with it and Weeki Wachee River. Three shows a day. At Halloween and Christmas we don’t think I’m crazy. If they’re not, I have to explain to The 538-acre park fea- do four night shows as well. The park’s been here them the history of the park. It looks funny on a CV. tures a fi rst magnitude since 1947 and is still very popular. In summer we spring and a 400-seat perform to 500 people per show. Life expectancy of a mermaid? submerged theatre. Once you’re a mermaid you can carry on as long as In 1982, Bucaneer What does mermaid manager involve? you want to, as long as you’re still able to perform. Bay opened to extend I oversee 20 mermaids plus four men who play the We have women in their sixties who used to work the park, with water princes’ roles in the shows. I do the payroll and here and now perform as volunteer mermaids once a slides, fl ume rides and scheduling, choreography and costuming for new month in their own show. I’m planning on staying as a white, sandy beach. shows and also train new staff. I don’t get to do as long as I can. I’ll retire as a mermaid! ● 82 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 4 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 The Spotlight Is on Business Solutions In a new year, with new challenges, IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 will deliver a comprehensive program that gives you access to the business solutions you need to compete. No where else will you fi nd fi ve days of expert-led education, 1,200 exhibitors—the largest group of attractions industry suppliers in the world—and nine miles of show fl oor dedicated to dazzling demonstrations and displays. Come to Vegas and go home with ideas and strategies, products and services that will increase your profi ts! The Main Attraction for the Attractions Industry IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA USA Produced by: Conference: November 16–20, 2009 IAAPA Trade Show: November 17–20, 2009 Las Vegas Convention Center–South Halls Attractions Expo To attend or exhibit, go to www.IAAPA.org nWAVE PICTURES PRESENTS AN AMAZING LIBRARY 4D OF 3D/4D FILMS FILMS For more information contact: For more information contact: Eric Dillens Roger Houben phone +32 475 464 739 phone +32 473 510 380 [email protected] [email protected] www.nwave.com www.3dba.be
Attractions Management Issue 4 2009
