Celebrating International Museum Day: Museums Turn to Directional Sound for Clearer Storytelling

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As museums across the globe celebrate International Museum Day, spotlight is being cast on an emerging innovation quietly transforming visitor experiences: directional sound technology. This innovation is helping institutions deliver focused audio content in a way that enhances the visitor experience—without compromising the calm, reflective environment so essential to cultural spaces.

Unlike traditional loudspeakers, which disperse sound broadly throughout a space, directional sound systems emit tightly controlled beams of audio. This makes it possible to create independent sound zones, where visitors can hear exhibit-specific narration or soundscapes clearly, while adjacent guests remain undisturbed — a key benefit that highlights the difference between directional speakers vs. traditional loudspeakers.

“Increasingly, museums are looking for ways to deliver layered, multilingual content without introducing noise pollution,” noted one exhibition designer involved in a recent gallery renovation. “Directional audio lets you enrich the experience while keeping the space acoustically clean.”

The adoption of sound control technologies is not only elevating the visitor experience but also improving the overall acoustic environment within museums and galleries. With reduced ambient noise and minimal overlap between zones, exhibits are able to provide clearer narration and better retention of information.

Multilingual audio delivery is another area where these systems shine. Instead of requiring apps or handheld devices, museums can simply direct different language tracks to different areas of an exhibit, streamlining both accessibility and user experience.

Commenting on the growing interest in this field, Gu, an acoustic engineer at Audfly Technology, said:

“In museum and gallery environments, we see how directional sound enables focused listening without headphones or barriers. It allows visitors to naturally engage with the exhibit’s content while maintaining a quiet, shared atmosphere. For speech-heavy narration, it dramatically improves intelligibility and attention.”

Audfly’s ultrasonic-based directional speakers have been integrated into cultural institutions across Europe, North America, and Asia. These systems are designed to be compact and visually unobtrusive—ensuring that modern sound solutions don’t compromise the aesthetic integrity of historic or minimalist exhibit spaces.

As more museums invest in visitor-centric technologies, directional sound is becoming a key tool in achieving personalized, immersive, and inclusive experiences. It provides flexibility for curators and designers, while keeping infrastructure simple and unobtrusive for visitors.

One museum audio technologist summarized it this way:

“It’s not about overwhelming visitors with tech—it’s about creating subtle, intuitive moments of connection with the exhibits. Directional sound helps do that, quietly and effectively.”

On a day dedicated to celebrating the evolving role of museums in society, these innovations represent more than just technical upgrades—they reflect a growing commitment to designing cultural spaces that are thoughtful, engaging, and acoustically intelligent.

About Audfly Technology

Audfly is a global leader in innovative audio solutions, specializing in directional sound technology. The company’s flagship Focusound Screen^® technology seamlessly integrates sound directly into display screens, delivering immersive audio experiences with enhanced privacy and clarity. Beyond Focusound Screen^®, Audfly has developed a diverse portfolio of directional sound products designed for a wide range of applications, including museums, retail stores, digital signage, self-service kiosks, office environments, and home entertainment systems. By precisely controlling sound projection, Audfly’s innovations help eliminate audio spillover, reduce noise pollution, and create customized sound zones, making it the go-to solution for businesses and institutions looking to optimize their acoustic environments. With cutting-edge research and continuous advancements, Audfly is redefining how sound is experienced across consumer electronics, commercial spaces, and professional settings worldwide.

Wei Ke
Audfly Technology
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