Interactive Exhibition Design: A Journey into Student Life in the 1920s

After an exclusive tour of the Die Einsteins museum in Ulm, we received topic suggestions based on the museum's collections and ongoing developments. The museum explores Albert Einstein's family history within the wider context of Jewish heritage and local history through immersive, interactive exhibits.

Our group chose to focus on a "Student Registration Book" belonging to Jan Groneveld, which records his movements and studies in the 1920s, including encounters with Professor Einstein. The museum's brief challenged us to create an engaging, interactive way for visitors to explore his story.

For the physical construction, we designed a custom tabletop extension that discreetly concealed the technical components while keeping them easily accessible for maintenance and adjustments. The projection surface was intentionally kept clean and uncluttered to ensure sharp, precise visuals. In terms of materials, we combined Forex, a smooth and easy-to-cut PVC foam board often used in signage, with Hartschaum, a dense foam material typically used for insulation. Together, these materials provided a lightweight yet sturdy structure that securely housed our technical elements and maintained a refined, professional finish.

For the model book, we chose to construct it from wood — valued for its sturdiness, sustainability, and the ease with which it could be painted white to serve as an ideal projection surface. The design and assembly took place in the HfG’s workshop, where we had access to a range of tools, materials, and expert guidance that supported the fabrication process.

Rather than using real objects, we designed and 3D-printed five unique models in Rhino 3D, each embedded with an RFID tag. This approach allowed us to maintain a manageable scale while giving the tokens a distinctive visual identity — blending authentic 1920s aesthetics with modern interactivity. The five objects included a small book, a beer mug, a German Reichsmark coin, a Reichspass (German passport), and an old-style Geodreieck (protractor), each serving as a tactile link between the historical theme and the digital experience.

Inside the table, two audio speakers and an RFID system formed the core of our interactive setup. The RFID system consisted of two scanners connected to an Arduino Leonardo, programmed by our team. Circular indents on the tabletop matched the diameter of our 3D-printed objects, allowing visitors to place the 3D items precisely and trigger content changes.

Since we had the unique challenge of only having 1 projector for 2 distinct projection surfaces, we were given access to the projection mapping software MadMapper by the HfG. This allowed us to create two separate projection areas within a single projector's output. The angled wooden book served as the primary projection surface, while the tabletop area surrounding it acted as a secondary surface. This setup enabled us to display different content on each surface, enhancing the interactive experience without the need for multiple projectors.

On the book, the projections followed a consistent layout: headers and informational text appeared on the left, with a slideshow of images on the right to visually support the content. To enhance accessibility, the texts—drawn from both the registration book were recorded and played aloud as well as displayed on the left projection plane. The only exception to this layout was the idle page, which reversed the layout structure.

We divided the exhibition thematically: on the left side of the central book, a series of smaller books represented the four cities Jan Groneveld visited during his studies, where he encountered Professor Einstein — Berlin, Heidelberg, Münster, and Göttingen. On the right side, four objects offered a glimpse into different aspects of 1920s student life: lifestyle (beer mug), fees (coin), education (protractor), and mobility (passport).

By placing an RFID-tagged object into one of the tabletop slots, visitors could explore each topic individually — or combine a city and an object — revealing Jan Groneveld's personal perspective on student life through both location and theme.

Overall, the project was a great success, featured in the semester exhibition and praised by visitors and the museum's curator alike.