Hypermedia development in the Benaki Museum - Adapting the beast to the beauty: a case study

Several methodologies attempt to identifjr the parameters and seek optimal solutions to the equation which describes the complex development process of interactive multimedia. The application of such systems in museums adds new degrees of freedom to the design process while implementation and evaluation issues compete in complexity with content selection and management. Despite the initial skepticism, many museums worldwide decide to meet the challenge and enter the realm of experimentation with new technologies in their exhibition and educational programs. This paper describes the first experiences which stemmed from two on-going projects at the Benaki Museum, involving the development phase of two interactive exhibits. Our aim is to provide food for thought for developers of interactive multimedia in the museum community.