Genelec Smart IP and Yamaha passive loudspeakers have been deployed across a newly opened immersive natural history exhibition at Melbourne Museum, part of Museums Victoria – the nation’s largest public museum organisation. Our Wondrous Planet traces four billion years of life on Earth across seven gallery spaces, with the hybrid system delivering a zoned, layered soundscape alongside projections and interactive elements.
The exhibition – described as the largest gallery redevelopment in Melbourne Museum’s history – introduces visitors to ecosystems including ocean currents, coral reefs and rainforest canopies, populated by over 800 animals from the museum’s collection. The audio system was designed to reflect each individual habitat while maintaining sonic separation between zones.
The installation comprises 41 Genelec 4430 compact loudspeakers, seven 4435 in-ceiling models, three 4436 pendant units and 18 super-compact 4410s. The 4430s are deployed around the open gantry and first-floor walkway to provide general environmental sound across each ecosystem, while the 4410s are positioned to isolate audio to specific interactive elements and animals, including two units placed inside an octopus model.
The Yamaha passive loudspeakers handle the general soundscape throughout the exhibition, with the 69 Genelec units dedicated to the more detailed immersive content. Eleven channels of audio are mixed in Dolby Atmos to synchronise loudspeakers with their corresponding visual elements and prevent sound bleeding into adjacent zones.
Mike Miller, technical project manager and system designer at the museum, said: “We needed a sound system that would create an immersive soundscape, while also isolating audio in each zone to reflect the individual habitat. A particular challenge was the large projection screen in the centre of the gallery – it hangs over the open gantry and causes unwanted sound to project down to the gallery floor below.”
The Smart IP series was selected in part for its Power over Ethernet capability, allowing each loudspeaker to connect to the museum’s existing Dante network infrastructure via a single cable. Miller said the PoE approach reduced installation time significantly given the gallery’s extensive network patch points, and that Genelec’s Smart IP Manager software proved useful for loudspeaker identification, control and ongoing system management.
Miller added: “Genelec provides an outstanding combination of exceptional audio quality and a practical feature set that makes a complex installation like this so much easier. Our Wondrous Planet has become one of Melbourne Museum’s most popular exhibitions – the detail and precision delivered by the loudspeakers have been pivotal in making this happen.”
You can subscribe to Installation magazine for free here and the daily newsletter here.
