Digital Installations at the Cold War Museum
In a contemporary museum exhibition, visitors want not only to see the exhibits, but also to better understand the story being told, experience its atmosphere, and discover what the exhibits alone cannot convey. Technology becomes valuable in a museum when it helps visitors engage more closely with the content and form an emotional connection with it.
Guided by this principle, BMK created digital content and implemented audiovisual solutions at the Cold War Museum. Located in the Plokštinė Forest in the Plungė District, the museum occupies one of the Soviet Union’s first underground ballistic missile silo launch complexes. It is the only exhibition of its kind in Europe, telling the story of the Cold War, which lasted for five decades. The complex once housed four medium-range ballistic missiles equipped with two-megaton thermonuclear warheads.
An installation conveying the threat of nuclear conflict
One of the solutions implemented by BMK was designed to convey the threat of nuclear conflict and its potential consequences.
BMK’s digital content team created a visual narrative projected onto three walls and a horizontally positioned relief model. At the beginning of the experience, visitors are surrounded by beautiful, peaceful images of nature and humanity. Once a special button is pressed, however, the atmosphere changes abruptly: tense scenes depicting preparations for a missile launch are followed by an explosion, its shockwave, and images of a devastated world.
The installation incorporates historic archival photographs and video footage. With the help of artificial intelligence, the material was extended, enhanced, and adapted to the projection format. Animated visuals projected onto the relief model are precisely mapped to its surface, transforming the model into a dynamic and integral part of the narrative.
The synchronised installation uses four projectors, while a low-frequency sound system heightens the tension and emotional impact of the content. For older visitors, the experience often evokes personal memories and emotions, while encouraging children to pause and reflect on the consequences of nuclear war.
Interactive mirror
Another solution created by BMK is an interactive AI-powered photo studio, also known as the interactive mirror. It allows visitors to become part of the exhibition narrative themselves.
After selecting their preferred image option on a touchscreen, the visitor takes a photograph, which is then processed in real time by specially developed software. Artificial intelligence transforms the person’s clothing, surroundings, and the overall visual style of the image. Visitors can see themselves not only in clothing inspired by the Cold War era, but also dressed as present-day foresters and nature enthusiasts. In this way, the solution connects the exhibition’s historical narrative with the contemporary environment of the Plokštinė Forest and the identity of Žemaitija National Park.
Visitors can download the finished photograph to their phones by scanning a QR code displayed on the screen. This method was chosen to provide a convenient visitor experience and prevent queues.
The solution consists of a touchscreen, camera, computer equipment, and an interactive application developed by BMK. The photo studio encourages active participation, personalises the museum experience, and allows each visitor to preserve an individual memory of their visit.
From storytelling to a fully functioning exhibition
BMK is an Atea Group company that has operated in Lithuania for more than three decades. Today, its specialists in digital content, design, programming, engineering, and audiovisual solutions create interactive exhibitions and digital visitor experiences for museums, covering the entire project journey from the initial narrative concept to technical implementation.
Are you planning a new museum exhibition, digital solution, or accessibility project? Contact the BMK team and let’s discuss how we can turn your idea into an engaging visitor experience.
