History out of the museum, into the city.
Oslo Museum struggles to engage younger audiences, who often experience traditional museum formats as passive and disconnected.
We explored how location-based audio storytelling could bring history out of the museum and into the city itself — meeting young audiences where they already are.
Fragments of four scenes from Oslo year 1684. Sound on.
«Nattmannen» — or the nightman, also known as the executioner's assistant — handled the city's most unpleasant tasks in the 17th and 18th centuries: emptying latrines, removing dead animals, and assisting with executions. Seen as impure and dishonorable, he and his family lived isolated from society.
«Welcome… Put on your glasses.»
Wearing a pair of custom-designed glasses inspired by medieval eyewear signals entry into another time. It deepens immersion and creates a shared identity among visitors, turning the audience itself into part of the experience. And a group of people wearing funny-looking glasses tends to make outsiders stop and wonder.
The posters were designed as a 1700s news article reporting on the Nightmen and a royal decree making it punishable to call them by their slang names. Those slurs are still in everyday use today. Most people who say them have no idea they are quoting a 300-year-old insult aimed at one of Oslo's most stigmatized groups.
The aim was to catch people's attention through recognition.
We chose the story of the Nightmen because we believed it would resonate with a younger audience, in line with Oslo Museum's ambition to broaden its reach. The narrative design is based on real accounts, and Jokum is a real person. Our research draws on two primary sources: Fra nattmann til Renholdsverk and De reisende i byen.
This was a group effort. My contributions included graphic design for the covers, narrative design, manuscript writing, casting, concept development, and location scouting.
A huge thank you to Nora Smidesang, Edvin Ekholt, Teo Songstaver, and Enesa Cojocaru.