Efisio Noussan Regional Museum of Natural Sciences
Valle d’Aosta Region
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Valle d’Aosta Region
OUR SERVICES
- Interaction Design
- Exhibition Design
- Multimedia set-up
- Video Production
- Content Production
- Interaction Design
An engaging exhibition to discover the ecosystems of the Aosta Valley region
16 rooms, 15 interactive stations and various films
For the new exhibition venue of the Regional Museum of Efisio Noussan Regional Museum of Natural Sciences in Saint-Pierre Castle, ETT has created an exhibition space of more than 1,200 square metres which, by alternating tradition and modernity, testimonies of the past and the results of modern research, offers the visitor an exciting journey between the cultural beauties of the Aosta Valley. Following the set-up, ETT was also responsible for fully developing the new website and two virtual reality stations with a dedicated 3D immersive glacier exploration experience.
The museum is focused on interactivity, experience and technology to enhance the collections and tell the story of Aosta Valley‘s natural history, its biological and environmental richness. The layout follows the modern canons of scientific museology to tell the story of past and present natural evidence through an itinerary that alternates between tradition and modernity.
There are two registers of visits proposed: the history of the Castle takes the visitor to discover the historical parts still present (the Hall of Coats of Arms, the furniture, the fireplaces, and the decorations on the walls), while the Museum of Natural Sciences presents the fauna, flora, mountains, places of natural and cultural interest, and the protected natural areas of the Aosta Valley.
The journey through the halls of the museum is designed to bring to life ever-changing moments of knowledge. Halls set up in the traditional way, where objects are displayed in showcases and insights are left to printed graphic communication, are alternated with rooms structured around the use of the most modern multimedia equipment, seeking to create an innovative and emotional visitor experience.
The path is articulated in the 16 rooms of the Castle located on the ground floor and the two upper floors, a journey through the ecosystems of the Aosta Valley, which is accessed thanks to 15 interactive stations and films that refer to the territory, the places of the Valley.
The exhibition path
1 Hall of Coats of Arms – the neo-Gothic layout is flanked by a modern multimedia touch station that allows visitors to retrace the reconstruction phases of the castle and the succession of lineages to illustrate the painted coats of arms and tell about the archaeological excavations carried out during the castle’s restoration work.
2 Hall of Differences: from the Vineyards to the North Pole – between the vineyards and olive trees of the lower valley and the glacial environments of Mont Blanc, a similar journey is made from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Cape and the Arctic ice. The sequence of altitudinal levels illustrates the differences that characterize the mountain environment from the foot to the summit of the mountain, through films and multimedia aids.
3 Hall of Time: The Old Museum of Natural Sciences –the history of the museum is told from its inception to the present day through historical and minimalist showcases.
4 Hall of rocks: the stones tell – geology is the main theme told through rock samples, pictures of peaks, geological and soil cartographies, and virtual interviews with a geologist flanked by in-depth information on the soils of the Aosta Valley.
5 The mines of the Aosta Valley: descent into the mountain – the small underground vaulted room re-enacts a descent into the mine where, through mineral finds, by-products and period footage, moments of industrial life that involved many Valle d’Aosta people in centuries past are relived.
6 Hall of the slopes: the straight and the reverse – illustrates the difference between the slope in the sun (the adret) and the other in the shade (the envers) and their influences on crops, ecosystems, plant and animal species, and the mood of the inhabitants.
7 Abbés savants room: the eyes of faith and science – dedicated to the scientist priests who animated the intellectual and scientific life of the Aosta Valley between the 19th and 20th centuries between study, research and popularization.
8 Noussan Room – the room hosts a video dedicated to the figure of Efisio Noussan, founder of the museum and well-known Aosta Valley entrepreneur, a passionate connoisseur of the culture and natural environment of the Aosta Valley.
9 and 10 Halls of Water: the creative force – through dioramas and naturalistic reconstructions one can get a close look at environments closely linked to the presence of water and characterized by delicate balances. The adjacent room offers a sound and visual experience amidst the sounds of waterfalls, rain, streams, and the trickle of glacial meltwater.
11 Forest Room: the secret life – a short night walk in a mountain forest, accompanied by bird and mammal cries, wind rustles, mysterious shadows and primordial sounds, an environment reproduced in life size.
12 Hall of Vertigo: Inhabitants of the Void – abstract reproduction of the rocky environments of the Aosta Valley illustrates the adaptation of various animal and plant species to vertical life. Display cases showcase 3D-printed reproductions of animals and plants.
13 and 14 Prairie Halls: the four seasons – as in a virtual journey to higher altitudes, we arrive at the prairies where we observe the changes imposed by the passage of time.
15 Frost Hall: living ice – in addition to a video interview about the birth of mountaineering, stations provide information about glaciers and the effects of climate change.
16 Hall of Emotions – the experience of visiting the museum concludes with a journey through the Aosta Valley, including spectacular views and engaging images to discover, with greater awareness, nature directly on the ground.
