Electrosonic, a leading international audiovisual and technology services company, and RLMG, an acclaimed digital experience design firm, have delivered a fully immersive journey for Montana Heritage Center, US.
The project was awarded the prestigious 2026 Museum Impact Award at the AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo in Philadelphia this May.
The experience explores Montana's story, from its earliest inhabitants to the present, using synchronised projection, dynamic LED displays, motion sensors, audio, and interactive touchpoints. These technologies bring to life the land, cultures, and moments that shaped the state.
From hearing the names of Montana’s sovereign nations spoken in their own voices to standing amid projections of wildlife, mining tunnels and open roads, the installation creates a living environment that responds to visitors' movements and curiosity.
The visitor experience tells Montana's story, from its earliest inhabitants to modern residents.Image courtesy of Electrosonic
Synchronised storytelling
To enable each part of the story to unfold in harmony with visitor movement, the Montana Heritage Center drew on Electrosonic's expertise in engineering complex system architecture to synchronise technologies across the galleries.
The resulting spaces present a living environment that responds to presence, movement and curiosity, whether visitors are listening to the names of Montana’s sovereign nations spoken in their own voices, or standing among projections of wildlife, mining tunnels and open roads.
The museum's exhibits and interactives highlight how technology and culture have evolved and been incorporated into everyday life in Montana. Image courtesy of Electrosonic
Nikhil George, senior project manager, Montana Heritage Center, says: "Electrosonic's integration of audiovisual technology has transformed the way visitors experience and learn about Montana's history while staying authentic to the roots of Montana and cultural heritage."
Compelling media, created by RLMG, transports visitors from time immemorial to the present day, immersing them in vibrant cultures, geologic events, and vast landscapes – bringing them face to face with compelling figures who call Montana home.
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Upon entering the museum, visitors find images of industry and innovation projected directly onto the lobby's sandstone walls. LED fissures display environmental animations of ice, lava, and more, while an overhead display encourages guests to move into the museum gallery.
Heading into the Homeland Gallery, visitors then move through the ‘Washington Way’ transition space, named in honour of Dennis Washington. The enveloping LED pillars and luminous ceiling shift in colour and sound in response to changing, cinematic themes.
The 16,000-square-foot Homeland Gallery features more than 20 media pieces, ranging from immersive spaces in homesteader cabins, to interactives that explore the archives. The media uses both broad and intimate storytelling approaches, with a diverse collection of voices from a wide range of time periods.
The immersive Mineshaft experience takes guests into a mining elevator cage, and down into the Earth.
Image courtesy of Electrosonic
A highlight is the Mineshaft, in which guests step into a mining elevator cage and descend deep into the Earth. This features a motion platform, fully immersive media, sound, lighting, and scenic elements, together with animation and digitally enhanced archival mining footage from 1925.
Multi-surface LED walls are combined with spatial audio, overhead effects, and tactile 'Buttkicker' channels. These have a dedicated low-frequency audio path that simulates a shaking floor and immerses visitors in the reality of miners, while synchronised lighting places them at the heart of the experience.
Elsewhere in the gallery, a triangular LED wall welcomes visitors with celebratory, contemporary stories from Montana’s sovereign nations. Speakers are placed around a tipi base to ensure even audio coverage, accompanied by cocooning lighting.
Immersive installations blend audio, lighting, and LED visuals to celebrate Montana’s Native origins and modern society.
Image courtesy of ElectrosonicIn Celebrate Montana, a series of 2- to 4-minute features focus on notable residents. With cinematic styling and on-camera interviews, these linear pieces showcase the State's beautiful landscapes while treating the interview subjects with respect and depth.
Another exhibit features a sweeping, curved LED wall that guides visitors through Montana's history, with visuals synchronised with the gallery’s immersive soundscape.
In the classic car interactive, visitors take a seat, activate the audio by touching the wheel or the trunk, and take to the road through a nearby projection and spatial audio that place them in a moving landscape.
Reflecting Montana's modernisation, interactives include a classic car that gives guests a sense of the open road.
Image courtesy of ElectrosonicThese interactive experiences demonstrate how technology and culture have evolved and become a part of everyday life in Montana.
Project partners include:
Available Light
Christie
Cinnabar
Cushing Terrell
Electrosonic
Main Street Design
PIXERA
RLMG
Sletten Construction
Smart Monkeys
SNA Displays
Earlier this year, Electrosonic shared details of a project with Redhills Durham Miners Hall, in which it designed, built, and supported three immersive areas at the historic landmark.
