botanika Bremen

Diverse digital storytelling

Tour guide and butterfly researcher — photo: Elisa Germanus-Meyer

2024

In the "botanika" in Bremen, the landscapes of Asia meet an interactive world of experience in huge halls. Due to the variety of topics, there are several points of contact in terms of content: For example, visitors can choose before their tour whether they want to experience the exhibition together with a historical butterfly researcher, an animal keeper, a species conservationist, a mysterious plant creature, a traveller or a Buddhist mentor.

Visitors with tablet and media guide — Different devices are used. photo: Elisa Germanus-Meyer

Six digital tracks

What the tracks have in common is dialogue-based storytelling with the help of filmed actors. Nevertheless, very different communication techniques are used in each case:

For example, the zookeeper's tour relies on elements of the escape game, while the butterfly researcher uses an interactive travel diary to experience the tour and the conservationist prefers to communicate via chat and video messages. The tour with the mentor, on the other hand, offers mindfulness and meditation exercises.

Screenshot — The conservationist communicates via chat.

Holoboxes in the foyer — In the foyer, the characters greet you as holograms "en miniature" and try to get the audience excited about their own track.

Touch station in use — Numerous tactile elements (in collaboration with tactile studios) as well as guided tours in easy language, sign language and audio description make the offer accessible. Even the games have been revised accordingly! photo: Elisa Germanus-Meyer

AR in use — A butterfly can be experienced via AR in different phases of its life.

Screen with Lucia's notebook — The butterfly researcher Lucia has left many notes and clues in her notebook.

Screen game catch flies — The reptile flings its tongue at the tap of a finger - how many flies can it catch?

World of diversity in use — Fantasy creatures that can be moved by gestures
in the immersive "World of Diversity" © Photo: Elisa Germanus-Meyer

Immersion

The scenography is not the only thing that immerses you in the "botanika" experience: The crowning glory of each of the six tour lines is the "World of Diversity".
This is an immersive 180-degree projection that reacts to users by recognising their gestures: During their tour, visitors create an imaginary creature on their mobile device, which they can transfer to the digital jungle landscape surrounding them and then animate using their own body movements. Great fun - especially for the young audience.

Interaction

The research desk combines knowledge transfer with fun. The daily routine of the gibbons can be learnt about and documented as part of close observation. The digital notebook allows for additional research. Of course, the content can also be added to and updated independently by the education team.

The "botanika digital" project was realised in collaboration with the company "Raumsektor".