Guide-ID, the audio tour specialist, has brought its Podcatcher Pro audio guide solution to Museum Odense in Denmark, where it is helping guests to engage meaningfully with the exhibitions.
Museum Odense includes six distinctive museums that focus on archaeology, history, and notable Danish figures, including the poet Hans Christian Andersen, the composer Carl Nielsen, and the sculptor Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen.
The Hans Christian Andersen Museum transports visitors into the enchanting world of the renowned author. Prioritising a high-quality visitor experience, the museum sought not just an audio guide but a system that promoted social interaction while ensuring full immersion in the exhibition. The museum imagined a space where visitors could engage, reflect, and share unique stories together.
A user-friendly solution
Guide-ID’s Podcatcher Pro offered a lightweight, intuitive solution that feels comfortable in visitors’ hands. The user-friendly device promotes engagement with the exhibition and helps visitors connect with those nearby. The accessible content management software for the audio guide has been a significant advantage, enabling the museum team to create and edit content independently.
See also: Accessible storytelling with Podcatcher Pro
The Hans Christian Andersen exhibition aims to inspire and engage visitors of all ages in his fairytale world, encouraging them to reflect on his imagination, curiosity about life, and reverence for nature. It offers a rich storytelling experience, thoughtfully crafted through unique collaborations. At its heart is a dramatised audio guide, with Hans Christian Andersen as the main voice.
The Danish version is written by the renowned author Kim Fupz Aakeson, brought to life by notable actors such as Caspar Phillipson, Vibeke Hastrup, and Thomas Mørk. The English version, also available in Chinese, is written by the acclaimed author Lemony Snicket, while the German adaptation is created by Christine Wunnicke.
Each version presents a distinctive interpretation of Andersen’s remarkable life, blending humour, charm, and depth to guide visitors through the exhibition. The Podcatcher Pro narration synchronises seamlessly with the rhythm of lights and sounds throughout the space, immersing visitors further into Andersen’s world.
A positive impact
Since the launch of the Podcatcher Pro, the museum has observed a positive change in visitors’ engagement. Guests interact more meaningfully with the exhibition and with each other, enriching both the individual and social aspects of the museum experience.
Immersive audio technology, such as Guide ID’s Podcatcher Pro, can transform the way cultural experiences are crafted in museums, fostering deeper engagement with storytelling and encouraging social connections among visitors. It helps visitors leave distractions behind, concentrate on the narrative, and connect with one another on a human level.
“I’m amazed at how well it works all around – it gets praised (a lot) by our guests,” says Helle Smith, front house manager at Museum Odense. “I would highly recommend it. The guest experience in the museum has improved, the device is simple and easy for our guests to use.”
Guide-ID says: “Every museum has its own needs and its own stories to tell. That’s exactly how Guide-ID sees it. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The adaptability of the Podcatcher Pro—both hardware and software—allows it to align with each venue’s specific goals.”
The firm recently announced that it is now using AI to power its Tour Editor platform. This integration makes professional audio experiences more accessible, enabling museums and cultural institutions to easily create, manage, and update multilingual audio tours.
