Have you ever viewed a picture of an old-fashioned steam train and wished that you could hear what kind of noise it made?

Unfortunately, the element of sound seems to be missing in so many museums, galleries, and showcases. But why is that? Sound plays a vital role in how we navigate the world, and yet a lot of places pass up the opportunity to use it. As a result, we often think of these venues as noiseless locations where people can look at things, but not interact with them.

Because so many exhibits tend to be focused on visual pieces and arrangements, you might think that adding sound would be a difficult and costly process. But here’s the thing: it’s not! In fact, it’s easier than ever to incorporate the excitement of sound into any kind of presentation. If you’re looking for a way to spice up an otherwise bland display, customized sound is your answer! Invite By Voice’s affordable and user-friendly products are a perfect way to inspire interest and enthusiasm.

Using items such as the recordable sound box is a simple method to make visual presentations more dynamic. For example, let’s say you are creating a display detailing the history of space flight. Rather than just using photos and infographics to convey this information, why not include a recordable display unit that will allow viewers to hear a space shuttle taking off? With such effective and accessible technology, the possibilities are endless.

The staff at Raupp Museum in Buffalo Grove, IL recently installed some of these devices in their exhibits and have found that it’s a great way to enhance the experience of their visitors. Here’s what the museum’s director has to say about their new sound features: "As a small history museum, we have long appreciated that adding sound to an exhibit can make it more powerful, memorable, and effective. Our problem was that most of the available technology was either too expensive, too complicated, or too temperamental to add to any of our exhibits. Invite by Voice has solved all these problems in one small package. Their product is easy for the exhibit designer to program, easy for the museum visitor to operate, produces a high quality sound, and does so at a very reasonable price. The first unit we put in was discovered and used by a young visitor in under half an hour! One month and over 500 visitors later, we couldn't be more pleased."

- Debbie Fandrei, Director, Raupp Museum, Buffalo Grove, IL

Raupp Museum’s successful use of their new sound devices proves that utilizing sound is a great choice. Not only are these products ideal for adding excitement to exhibitions, they are a terrific way to accommodate individuals with different learning styles and abilities. With awesome tools like the push button sound box, auditory learners and people with visual impairments can interact with displays in a whole new way. But those aren’t the only benefits! It’s easy to use sound products in smaller endeavors such as craft projects, personalized gifts, and school presentations.

You can use a sound module to add sound effects to hobbies. Or you can make a singing stuffed animal with a musical box insert. Or you can improve a science fair board by integrating a recordable display unit. Whatever you want to create, it’s clear that including high quality sound can really provide a sense of interest and fun - and that’s a no-brainer!