Cass -- 

This question about touch-screen kiosks has come up quite often here, and also on the Museum Computer Network - Listserve -- indeed the MCN-L folks are the "experts" in this sorta thing....   Check out their archive, and/or join the list and ask around and I think you'll be happy with the results.   :-)

The MCN-L archives can be found at:
http://toronto.mediatrope.com/pipermail/mcn-l/
 The short answer is, there are 1,000s of different ways to create a touchscreen kiosk -- low-tech solutions such as an Apple iPad tablet bolted to a table can get the job done for less than $1,000 vs. the high-tech Microsoft touch-table-top idea that was tossed out at $15,000++ .    As others have said it's, a two-part question hardware, (the computer, screen, and power-source) and software (the program, that plays/displays the words and pictures).

Good luck in your project.


- David - 
David Lewis, Curator
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
www.AuroraRegionalFireMuseum.org
 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Cass Karl <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Fri, Apr 8, 2011 12:32 pm
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Interactive Kiosk Pricing


Hello All!
I have been asked to look into the cost of getting an interactive touch screen kiosk for our museum.  We have, as part of one of our exhibits, a local veteran's memorial of sorts, which consists of photos of veterans with their name, branch of service, and birth/death dates posted on the wall.  It is a very popular part of the museum, and people really enjoy looking for friends, relatives, schoolmates, etc.  The problem is that we are facing a severe lack of space in that area (there is no good way to expand it), and we recently got the final photo that will comfortably fit.  One solution that has been proposed and well received is an interactive kiosk that will allow people to search for an individual by name or branch of service, or simply view a slideshow of the images with captions.  There are many options for kiosks out there- few of which I truly understand, because I have never purchased or set up something like this.  Any advice about brands, software, cost, etc. would be appreciated.  Thanks!
 
-Cass
Casandra Karl
Director
Mission Historical Museum



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