Storytelling has been increasingly incorporated as a mediation tool in museums. It is a powerful means that can allow visitors to not just look at artefacts and expositions, but to hear and engage with their stories. Through storytelling visitors can interact with characters and immerse themselves in a narrative that brings history, art and culture to life.
Storytelling in museums goes beyond facts and descriptions. It creates the needed conditions that will make collections more meaningful and generate emotional connections. Various digital tools, some of which we listed for you at the end of this grain, are being used in practice to make these storytelling tours possible in museums. With these tools, storytelling can be adapted and set up in several ways to suit museum needs, audiences and resources. Indeed this technique can be applied in various museum contexts, such as physical exhibitions, tours, catalogues, and online experiences.
Available storytelling methods:
- Pre-recorded audio narratives: Digital storytelling can be set up through audio tours where pre-recorded stories are linked to exhibits. These can include theatrical narrations, interviews with historians or relative personalities, or even inciting fantasy and immersion by incorporating imagined voices and artefacts
- Pre-recorded video storytelling: different fragment of stories can be recorded and the videos displayed on screens or interactive stations. This will provide visitors with visual narratives such as behind-the scenes footage, interviews or even re-enactments. This method will make the visit more accessible to visual learners and those who may have difficulty reading text heavy panels. Sign language translation can also be easily integrated to these videos to even increase inclusivity even more
- Digital storytelling via mobile apps: Museums can also opt for the option to create mobile applications that allow visitors to follow diverse and personalized storylines as they move through the exhibition. This method could allow to make the visit through the perspective of different characters for example. The advantage of this method is that it offers multilingual options, can incorporate accessibility features based on the needs of different audience (especially the different disabilities) and make the format very engaging.
- Blending physical and digital: Here the idea is to combine text, visuals and audio and blending it with traditional visits. This approach can include the use of projections, or QR codes that activate hidden stories when scanned. Visitors can engage with storytelling by exploring narratives at their own pace
Digital storytelling doesn’t just share information—it transforms the visitor experience. By offering flexible options museums can reach diverse audiences, including families, young learners, and visitors with accessibility needs.
Reflection: As you think about your museum’s collections, consider this: What stories are waiting to be told? Could a short video, interactive display, or audio guide help visitors connect more meaningfully with your exhibits?
Steps to design and implement digital storytelling
- Identify your story and audience
- Select a story or theme tied to your collection
- Determine your target audience: families, children, individuals with accessibility needs, or general visitors
- Choose the right tool
- Select a storytelling tool that suits your needs and resources (e.g., Twine for interactive text, StoryMapJS for location-based stories, Canva for visuals)
- Ensure the tool aligns with your audience’s preferences (e.g., text-heavy, visual, or multimedia-based)
- Storyboard the narrative
- Plan your story flow: decide on key points, pathways, or layers of information
- Use simple tools like storyboarding templates, Canva, or even hand-drawn drafts to map out the visitor journey
- Incorporate multimedia Eeements
- Add visuals (images, maps), audio (narration, music), or video where possible to enhance engagement
- Ensure elements are accessible (e.g., captions for videos, audio descriptions for visuals)
- Test for accessibility and usability
- Review your story for accessibility: Is it easy to navigate? Does it work for diverse audiences (e.g., multilingual options, screen reader compatibility)?
- Run a test with a small group of users and gather feedback
Digital storytelling tools for museums
Creating interactive and engaging storytelling experiences doesn’t require large budgets or complex systems. Here are some accessible and user-friendly tools that museums can use to design captivating stories:
- Twine (Free): A powerful tool for building interactive, non-linear stories. Perfect for “choose-your-own-path” narratives that let visitors explore exhibits in unique ways.
Visit Twine’s website. - StoryMapJS (Free): Ideal for location-based storytelling, combining maps, images, and text to connect objects or events to their geographical history.
Visit Storymap’s website. - H5P (Free): Create interactive content like branching scenarios, videos, and quizzes that enrich storytelling. H5P works seamlessly on most websites and e-learning platforms.
Visit HP5’s website. - Genially (Freemium): A user-friendly platform for designing interactive presentations and visual storytelling experiences with animations and multimedia elements.
Visit Genially’s website.
These tools are cost-effective, require minimal technical skills and offer creative ways to make your museum’s stories immersive and accessible for all visitors.