The Library

The Library at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is a permanent exhibition housing more than 280 artefacts across film, television and sound, interwoven with an interactive layer of touchscreens that form part of the whimsical cabinet-of-curiosities design.

Within the meticulously restored art deco interior, and amid a dense array of objects, the screens consolidate curatorial interpretation in place of individual object labels. They allow visitors to seek context for each artefact while, through their own design, creating a dreamy atmosphere that complements the exhibition.

Far more than conventional object labels, we developed a fractured, glassy and refractive interface language that builds directly on the exhibition’s visual motifs. Drawing on metaphors of the looking glass, the screens feel discovered among the objects themselves. Visitors move fluidly between artefacts and curatorial stories, from Australia’s early playback technologies to pop powerhouses such as Kylie Minogue and Yothu Yindi.

Working in collaboration with NFSA exhibition designers, archivists and production teams, the digital layer was conceived as an extension of the exhibition architecture. We shaped an approach that encourages curiosity over instruction, inviting visitors to explore media galleries, archival video, audio with responsive EQ visualisations, and layered curatorial text within a single fluid interface.

All video and audio content is fully closed-captioned, and the application adheres to international exhibition and accessibility guidelines, including considered minimum font sizing, colour contrast, legibility and generous touch targets to support use across varied audiences.

Video clips from children’s television classics such as The Wiggles, Romper Room and Fat Cat and Friends sit alongside 360-degree scans of plush toys and branded board games. Visitors can explore AC/DC posters that once lined teenage bedroom walls in the 1980s, or rediscover vintage video game advertising featuring Mr. T and the Atari. Each object opens into layered media and context, revealing the cultural life surrounding the artefact on display.

Designed for daily public use, the touchscreens are intuitive for seniors and resilient under the energy of large school groups. Our hardened deployment stack runs seven days a week across twelve screens in a high-traffic permanent exhibition.

The Library’s digital object labels extend the NFSA’s archival mission into the Canberra gallery, turning each artefact into an interactive point of discovery. Visitors can watch archival footage, listen to historical audio, explore 3D scans of objects, and access layered curatorial text, all within an interface that reflects the exhibition’s whimsical design. By centralising interpretation in this way, the screens give space for the objects themselves to shine, while inviting curiosity and playful engagement throughout the room.