The Melbourne Museum is currently redeveloping one of its galleries for the upcoming 'World War I (WWI) exhibition Love and Sorrow'. As the gallery adjoins the museum's children's gallery the location prompted museum management to consider ideas to reduce noise emanating from the children's gallery to provide a quieter, comfortable and memorable viewing experience for visitors.
Noise from the children's gallery was very obtrusive, not confined to one source but from a combination of multimedia noise and large groups of people. Museum management viewed this as a significant problem as the loud noise was of a very different mood than what was desired in the new gallery.
The new WWI gallery demanded a sombre and contemplative mood; quite at odds with the adjoining children's gallery that encouraged boisterous behaviour and interaction through multimedia and other displays.
Museum management engaged the services of Pyrotek Noise Control to specify and install a solution. After consultation, an acoustic curtain made from Pyrotek Noise Control's flagship flexible mass-barrier Wavebar was specified. The curtain would be installed on the dividing wall to cover any gaps between the galleries, which were seen as the main source of noise transfer.
Feedback provided by Melbourne Museum staff was extremely positive. The installation of Wavebar lowered the ambient noise level in the gallery significantly. The main sources of ambient noise came from a multimedia exhibit in an adjacent Mind Gallery and large groups of noisy schoolchildren were not easily noticeable.
Overall, Museum management was extremely satisfied with the acoustic performance and look of the Wavebar Curtain when fully installed.
