The MUCEM's 10th anniversary: an immersive experience with Sycomore's tools

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Museum of the Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean (MUCEM) presents a major exhibition entitled "Populaire ?", from 13 December 2023 to 31 December 2026. It brings together part of the historic holdings of the Musée national des arts et traditions populaires, the European collections of the Musée de l'Homme and objects acquired by the MUCEM since the early 2000s — a total immersion made possible by Sycomore's cultural interpretation tools: the S-Guide audio guides and the Audiopens.

The MUCEM, a museum at the heart of the Mediterranean

Inaugurated in 2013, the MUCEM is an emblematic museum located in Marseille, dedicated to exploring the civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean. Housed in a bold, modern building designed by architect Rudy Ricciotti, combining concrete, glass and a concrete latticework, it symbolises the connections between the two shores of the Mediterranean. In just ten years, it has become an essential destination for lovers of history, culture and art, welcoming millions of visitors every year.

The MUCEM's mission is to preserve, study and present the heritage of Mediterranean civilisations, through permanent and temporary exhibitions ranging from archaeology to contemporary art, by way of social and cultural history.

S-Guide: immersive spatialised sound

At the heart of the "Populaire ?" exhibition, visitors can use the S-Guide audio guides, available on a self-service basis in a dedicated room. A 360-degree screen plunges them into a poetic and visual journey, through several stories whose main theme is the environment. Equipped with S-Guide headsets, unique on the market, they enjoy high-quality synchronised and spatialised sound, in hands-free operation.

The S-Guide headset is semi-open: it allows visitors to keep talking to each other and remain attentive to broadcast announcements, without having to take it off. The commentaries are automatically synchronised with the different sections of the video room, guaranteeing an immersive and seamless exploration.

Audiopen: a playful trail for children

For children, the MUCEM offers a playful trail with the Audiopen, Sycomore's interactive audio guide. Equipped with this optical-reading pen, which triggers audio commentaries when pointed at specific areas of printed visit maps, young visitors are invited to help Phil recover his emotions by exploring the exhibition and finding the nine objects needed to solve a riddle.

This device encourages children to interact actively with the exhibitions, making their visit both educational and entertaining.

A decade of innovation

Since its opening, the MUCEM has been committed to using innovative technologies to enrich its visitors' experience. By celebrating its 10th anniversary with a major public exhibition featuring an immersive room, the museum demonstrates its commitment to remaining at the forefront of cultural interpretation. Sycomore's tools play a central role, with synchronised, spatialised narration for adults and an interactive trail for children, turning every visit into a unique adventure.