For more than two centuries, the British Museum has presented its collections through the familiar pairing of objects and supporting written interpretation. As visitor expectations evolve, the museum has begun exploring new ways of engaging audiences, launching an experimental pilot in two permanent galleries: the Vindolanda Tablets in the Roman Britain Galleries and the Lion Hunt Reliefs of Ashurbanipal in the Assyrian Galleries. Sysco was appointed as the hardware partner, tasked with delivering audio and visual systems that could support contemporary interpretation within long-established spaces.

For the Vindolanda Tablets, Sysco integrated the digital display hardware and multi-channel audio that underpin the gallery’s layered soundscape. A large digital introduction guides visitors towards the objects, while spoken narrative and archaeological interpretation are delivered through a carefully balanced audio system developed in partnership with Journey’s sound designers. The technology remains discreet within the historic setting while providing clarity, presence and a sense of immediacy.

In the Assyrian Galleries, Sysco supplied and installed the projection, media and audio systems for the animated Lion Hunt Reliefs sequence. Choreographed lighting, projection and sound work together to evoke the atmosphere of a royal hunt, with subtle synchronisation across the gallery bringing movement and energy to the stone reliefs. The integrated system enhances visitor understanding of the narrative, with longer dwell times and strong audience response reported during the activation.

This pilot marks an important step in the museum’s approach to interpretation. By combining robust engineering with sensitive integration, Sysco helped bring new depth to ancient stories while respecting the integrity of the galleries.