MUSEUMS & EXHIBITS
Managing and optimizing sound in museum and exhibit spaces is often challenging, but SH Acoustics has a proven process for addressing this by focusing primarily on the elements that affect it—the acoustic environment, the methods of audio delivery, and the nature of the content itself relative to the built environment. We have an extensive history of working with architects, exhibit designers, media producers, AV integrators, and others on museums of all sizes and types to create the best possible experience for visitors.
“For the past 30-plus years, I have explored all aspects of a museum’s creation or renovation that generate or affect sound in one way or another and have built a proven strategic process for optimizing the quality and control of sound. With the incorporation of many forms of media now being commonplace in today’s museums, the goal is always to provide a great aural experience from the moment someone enters the museum to the point where they depart.”
—CEO Steve Haas
EXHIBIT ACOUSTICS
MULTIMEDIA THEATER DESIGN
GALLERIES & ATRIUMS
LIVE-PERFORMANCE SPACES
AUDIO DELIVERY & CALIBRATION
EXHIBIT ACOUSTICS
SH Acoustics works closely with the exhibit designer to minimize sound bleed between the individual exhibits. Acoustical treatments are used in the exhibit galleries to control unwanted sound from patrons and from audio in the space, while more detailed treatments are incorporated into the exhibit structures to enhance sound quality. These treatments are carefully chosen from a wide palette of unique solutions to ensure the aesthetic vision of the exhibits isn’t compromised.
MULTIMEDIA THEATER DESIGN
SH Acoustics employs the latest in digital multichannel surround-sound technology to ensure that the audio in multimedia theater spaces envelops and engages patrons while also maintaining effective acoustical separation from surrounding areas. We work closely with designers, media producers, and installers to ensure that the performance of the system and the sound of the room harmonize to deliver the best experience for visitors.
GALLERIES & ATRIUMS
Large public atria and gallery spaces are often used for special performances and speaking events but the traditional building materials in these spaces can make them too reverberant, preventing the delivery of clear, coherent high-quality sound. SH Acoustics works with the architect to minimize reverberations, echoes, and other auditory anomalies without compromising the aesthetic design of the space. We also advise museums on the benefits of installing a sound-reinforcement system to better address these spaces’ unique acoustical requirements.
LIVE-PERFORMANCE SPACES
Performance-based theaters have become a key attraction and significant source of revenue for many museums and public spaces. But it can be a challenge to engineer these theaters to ensure they sound good no matter what type of performance is being given. SH Acoustics has designed spaces of every shape and size for almost every manner of performance. Our multi-use design approach guarantees an acoustic environment that will meet the distinctive requirements of each venue, allowing it to accommodate everything from a string quartet to an amplified band to a spoken-word entertainer. We work closely with the owners, architects, and theater consultants to tailor a custom solution for each theater project.
AUDIO DELIVERY & CALIBRATION
From music to narration to sound effects, audio is an essential component of many museum exhibits. This is even more crucial when sound itself is the work of art being exhibited. SH Acoustics analyzes not only the designer’s intent but also the space in which the audio is delivered to ensure the desired match between content, area of coverage, and production format. We not only engineer a technology solution to achieve these aims but also perform an extensive final tuning of all exhibit audio to ensure that sound quality is optimized and audio levels are balanced within and between exhibit areas.
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