Audio in the museum: new forms of perception of exhibition space

Abstract

This article examines the changing role of audio in contemporary museum spaces and analyzes the main forms of using sound in exhibition practice. For a long time, museums existed primarily as spaces for visual perception, where sound was either excluded or perceived as an obstacle to the process of contemplation. This attitude is largely connected to the concept of the "white cube," which suggests separating the artwork from everyday life and focusing the visitor's attention exclusively on the visual experience. The article traces the gradual incorporation of audio into the structure of museum spaces: from guided tours and audio guides to complex multisensory exhibition solutions. Particular attention is given to the development of Sound Studies and sound art, which have influenced the rethinking of sound as an independent medium. A historical example is considered, namely, the exhibition work of Vasily Vereshchagin, who, as early as the 19th century, used musical accompaniment as part of the exhibition logic and emotional interpretation of his own works. A typology of contemporary museum practices related to the use of audio is also proposed. Museums of sound art, memorial and historical museums, art exhibitions, and inclusive projects that use sound to enhance visitor interaction with the exhibition are highlighted. Examples include the Museum of Sound in St. Petersburg, the exhibition "Pavel Filonov. Eyewitness to the Invisible" at the State Russian Museum, the typhlo-opera "Sarmatian Bestiary" at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, and the exhibition designs of the Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad. The author concludes that auditory design is gradually becoming an important part of contemporary exhibition design, enabling a more complex experience of perceiving exhibitions. At the same time, the need to maintain a balance between multisensory perception and the scientific and artistic content of the museum space is emphasized.