This exhibit was acquired by FCMoD in February 2017 to fill out the museum’s musical science collection. Like many of its neighboring exhibits, the phonograph encourages visitors to physically interact with it in order to learn about the science of sound. Its specific function is to demonstrate how vinyl records create noise through needle scratches.
In principle, the exhibit is rather simple, with users expected to spin the wheel and press a plastic card against its rim. The outer circumference is covered in bumps and ridges that simulate record grooves. When played correctly, the phonograph emits a variety of noises, including percussion sounds, musical tracks, and a short vocal loop.
Unfortunately, guests sometimes had trouble figuring out how to operate the phonograph. I monitored its usage and queried patrons over how to make it more intuitive. In keeping with the museum’s emphasis on exploration, we did not want to give blatant instructions, but ended up posting a set of three basic visualizations. I made drawings for the first and third directions, with Christopher Jones providing the second illustrations.
The cooperative phonograph was a helpful exercise in public interaction, as we tried to take guests’ needs and recommendations into account while making the exhibit more accessible.
