Website: http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/september11/
The
judges said:
"If I were grading this project, I would give it an A...it
serves many different purposes with out losing any of them, is
ulitmately easy to approach and navigate, but leaves one richer
when leaving than when one entered the site. A very powerful website
that educates, memorializes and documents beautifully… A
very ambitious, innovative and thoughtful online exhibit with
compelling imagery, text and community components. An important
permanent archive of objects and personal accounts. Visually pleasing,
well designed and easy to use… A model website for national
memory and healing."
Website: http://www.inventionatplay.org
The judges said:
"Stunning. This site has everything-style, sound, and good,
rich content. Best of all--it was fun…. I found this fascinating
and memorable. I especially liked the boinging choices in the
upper righthand corner."
A Tip From the Producers:
"Don't be afraid to think outside the box. By committing
ourselves from the outset to making the site both interactive
and accessible, as well as deciding not to do a "virtual
exhibit," we opened doors that a more traditional approach
would have left closed. Pushing both our intellectual and technical
creativity to new limits resulted, we believe, in a site that
is not only educational and entertaining, but offers fresh perspectives
on the subject of the connections between invention and play."
DVD
The judges said:
"This product did an amazing job of connecting real people
to real objects and connect these people with the museum visitor.
This is truly a beautiful product… This is a very cleanly
done set of projects that enhanced in many was more traditionally
installed artifacts. They acted as a guide and companion to the
exhibition and provided a necessary 'voice' to the objects and
makers in the exhibition…. Highly successful integration
of video into an exhibit to highlight the main message - indigenous
peoples are here now - not just in history books."
A Tip From the Producers:
"If you don’t need a computer to run your system, don’t.
The initial plan specified a computer-based system to act as a
player for the presentations contained on a DVD. We ran into a
series of problems that were difficult to find, much less to solve,
because so many components were involved: DVDs, software, video
card, computer resolution and memory requirements, operating system,
hardware and electrical connections. We hired a consultant, who
recommended using a simpler, dedicated DVD playback system. We
chose a Pioneer 7400 Industrial DVD player. Now if a playback
issue arises, it is a much simpler chain to troubleshoot. We have
only to check the power source, the DVD player, or the DVD disc
itself.."
Website: http://www.building-america.org
The judges said:
"This flash site was exquisitely designed and executed. The
content, image quality, audio, design, animation and interface
were all of very high quality. Each time line subject was navigable
by time line, multiple items and connections to outside URL. This
is an example of a well-conceived rich media experience that is
compelling. Production that combines and nurtures all these elements
is rare."
A Tip From the Producers:
"In creating the National Building Museum's Building America
website, we sought to extend the Museum's reach to an even broader
audience than the already diverse group served by its exhibitions
and programs. Cutting across divisions between professionals and
lay people, we wanted to engage, educate and entertain both expert
and novice. In pursuing this mission, were encountered two principal
challenges, one regarding content, and the other concerning graphic
presentation.
"In terms of content, we found that one way to appeal to
a broad constituency was to cast the net of the site's subject
matter as widely as possible--from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
to Elvis Presley's Graceland, from the glories of New York's Central
Park to the nationwide problem of suburban sprawl. A second strategy
was to believe that no subject was too complex or esoteric to
be explained in readily accessible terms, whether it be the stylistic
contribution of Henry Hobson Richardson, or the mechanics of sustainable
architecture. Finally, we found it important to include not only
high points in the history of our nation's built environment,
but difficult aspects as well, including such topics as architectural
legacy of slavery and the social and urbanistic ramifications
of segregation.
"The website's visual presentation presented challenges
different from those associated with exhibition design. How could
we appeal to both an older audience for whom the web was new territory,
and a web-savvy younger generation raised on the high-velocity
pace of MTV? What we found most effective was a synthesis of visual
clean graphics and moving parts, including video segments. Throughout
the site, "navigability" was a key concern."
Installation
The judges said:
"I thought this was a stunningly effective use of technologies--and
not complex technologies--introducing visitors to the human side
of immigration. I found myself in tears when the Greek family
was not permitted entrance into the country (and I had advocated
for them) because of their child's deafness. Brilliant work. Congratulations
to the team that worked on this."
A Tip From the Producers:
:The team responsible for producing Getting In learnt the
importance of good dramatic performance when designing a multimedia
exhibit that relies on creating a believable world for the user.
We engaged a theatre director who was renowned for his capacity
to work creatively with actors but also had considerable experience
in television and film. We had excellent scripts, we cast carefully
and then, on the advice of the director, we rehearsed systematically.
While this put unforseen pressure on the budget, when it came
to the actual shoot there was a common understanding of the project
and familiarity with subtlety of the scripts. We also had the
opportunity to include ideas and suggestions from the actors -
these were invaluable as in most cases they called on their own
language and their experiences as immigrant or that of their parents
to inform their performances. Then when it came to the shoot the
drama unfolded naturally.:
Website: http://www.pem.org/yinyutang
The judges said:
"Beautifully designed and intimate interface. Compelling
story told well through many voices. Goes beyond online gallery
with the integration of first person narratives. Nice blend of
historical and process photos…. Wow, so much info! My favorite
part was the orientation. It gave personal stories to this structure
that would have been dead to me… Making architecture come
alive is not an easy task, but by animating the structure and
embellishing it with the story of history, discovery conversion
and presentation, the site pulled together in an accessible way
a truly large event."
Audio tour
The judges said:
"This entry relies on and wins by an old fashioned notion...tell
a good story, and do it well. Walking the line between drama and
fiction tantalizing exposé and puritanical facts, these
snippets of history would enhance any visitor's trip through the
museum of sex. A classic case of less is more .. The scripts are
beautifully paced with authentic voices for the period. Probably
the most appropriate of all technologies for this topic. Allows
the visitor to imagine what might be difficult (or certainly risque)
to show. Allows visitors to go way beyond the physical space and
objects in cases."
Website: http://www.corridos.org
The judges said:
"The intro to this site is wonderful and compelling, giving
the user a real “experience.” The sound of the old recording
in the intro helped set a wonderful tone for the whole site. Music
as a subject matter was handled well both in the audio as corridos
that could be downloaded and in the other dimensions that could
be explored visually opening the doors for experience. In this
sense using the Internet medium was creative and very appropriate."
A Tip From the Producers:
"The "Corridos Sin Fronteras" web site is designed
to educate visitors by allowing them to experience the music and
stories featured in the traveling exhibition. But it also is a
dynamic site that will continue to change as the exhibit travels
across the country through 2005. A password-protected area allows
museums that are hosting the exhibition to enter up to date information
on programming and special events related to corridos. The site
also offers a Resources Database that includes hundreds of entries
about corridos' performers, films, recordings, books and related
resources. Visitors to the site can suggest new resources to SITES
staff, who will in update the database with the best suggestions."
Website: http://www.jerseyhistory.org/what_exit/index.html
The judges said:
"The mix of ephemera, personal stories and the overall story
line were well edited and created a nice textural story that could
be accessed on a number of levels. The use of the pop-up window
was an effective way to add material without losing story line.
The “Take a Detour” function added more dimension to
the subject. A very appealing site."
A Tip From the Producers:
"We highly recommend involving audience members in Web development.
The New Jersey Historical Society does this for all of its programs
and developing our first virtual exhibition was no exception.
As an example: we knew from creating What Exit? New Jersey and
Its Turnpike, the three-dimensional exhibition, that teachers
were eager to have greater access to the information that What
Exit? encompassed. Once we developed a prototype for the virtual
exhibition, we held focus groups for teachers from a range of
grade levels and both inside and outside of the state. This process
led us to understand ways in which we could make the website more
accessible, more readable, and more useful for students’
independent research. The focus groups also confirmed earlier
feedback that the subject had relevance for all teachers, regardless
of geographical location and grade level. One word of warning
though: be prepared to address recommendations that might fall
beyond the project’s scope. We were careful to be especially
clear about how feedback would be used and when teachers’
suggestions required greater resources – either time or money
– than we could realistically devote to the project, we engaged
them in discussions of alternate means for addressing their ideas."
DVD
Program Description:
The National Museum of American History's collection of objects
documenting the events of September 11 is unparalleled. Objects
help tell the stories of survivors and those who perished in the
terrorist attacks. The Web site offers access to the entire collection,
as well as the background material collected by the curators.
The Web site
allows visitors unable to attend the museum to experience this
moving collection, and for many who contribute their recollections
the site provides an important and cathartic experience. Object
donors have been generous in contributing stories and photos to
accompany the objects, and have been grateful that their donations
are publicly available. The site has allowed the Museum to open
the entire collection to the public
something we could never do in our physical facility, and it has
also generated new object donations.
Video
The judges said:
"This was a very compelling set of stories and well produced.
They were well written and paced to pull the viewer, without the
typical frenetic cutting, along the way building the story’s
topic and background. Historical newsreels, and stills capture
the tone of the era without the usual video schmaltz. The interview
format in “Celebration” was also refreshing and moved
well. I don’t know if this was stock footage but it was filmed
well. Overall these stories had an immediate appeal and were composed
well."
A Tip From the Producers:
"In working with this type of project which done on a contractual
basis, it is important to find a firm that can listen to the needs
and desires of the client. And the producing contractor can also
relay their creative and technological skills to the project."
Art |
History and Culture
| Science
| Promotion of
an Institution | Collection
Database or Reference
Two-Way Communication
Gold:
Invention at Play 
Gold:
Mihtohseenionki (The People’s Place): Videos of the People
Silver:
Building America, National Building Museum
Silver:
“Getting In” Interactive Theatre Experience
Bronze:
Yin Yu Tang 
Honorable
Mention: Corridos Sin Fronteras
What
Exit? New Jersey and Its Turnpike