Vox Museorum - FANTASY CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY, FANTASY: WORLDS OF MYTH & MAGIC

EXHIBIT OVERVIEW

Fantasy: Worlds of Myth & Magic is a featured permanent exhibition at the Museum of Pop Culture, celebrating the history, evolution, and enduring power of fantasy in literature, film, and popular culture. The gallery showcases legendary artifacts, film props, costumes, and rare manuscripts—including icons from The Wizard of Oz, The Princess Bride, Conan the Destroyer, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, The Legend of Zelda, Dungeons & Dragons, Xena: Warrior Princess, Labyrinth, and many more.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

With origins in ancient magic, mythology, epic quests, and heroism, the fantasy genre has grown into a literary and cinematic powerhouse. Visionaries like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Ursula K. Le Guin transformed stories of adventure and transformation into mirrors for human aspiration and cultural values. Today, fantasy leads all genres in book publishing and is a major force in global film, uniting generations of fans across countless books, movies, and communities.

ASSIGNMENT

Vox Museorum was commissioned to compose a suite of individual soundscapes for the primary exhibition spaces: Entrance Gallery, Kiddie Caves, Main Gallery, Light & Shade Gallery, and Exit Gallery. Each zone’s sonic identity was crafted to complement its distinct visual design, narrative purpose, and audience experience.

AUDIENCE STRATEGY

The Fantasy exhibition serves a multigenerational, eclectic audience with tremendous crossover appeal. Families, teens, young adults, Gen X, Millennials, and lifelong fans all connect with the exhibit’s stories and environments. Soundscapes were designed for broad musical, sonic, and contextual appeal, evoking nostalgia for some, and sparking imaginative discovery for others.

CREATIVE SOUNDSCAPE APPROACH

Our soundscape strategy was designed as a seamless, immersive journey: gently guiding visitors from the ordinary world into realms of imagination—and back again. Each exhibit zone features a distinct sonic identity, unified by a continuous flow of music and ambient sound, with transitions that reflect narrative and emotional progression.Throughout the experience, defined tracks are replaced by evolving, organic transitions. Every guest, regardless of age or background, is continually immersed sonically in the drama, magic, and peaceful wonder at the core of the fantasy genre.

Entrance Gallery: For this welcoming space, we drew stylistic inspiration from Led Zeppelin’s “The Battle of Evermore” a fantasy infused English folk song. Composer Steve Fisk chose harp and violins to create melodies that drift through a bucolic, enchanted forest.

Kiddie Caves: The audio in this playful zone uses sparkling chimes and friendly voices, creating a bright, imaginative sound environment that encourages the youngest guests to explore and dream.

Main Gallery: Inside the soaring Main Gallery—anchored by the towering Wizard’s Tree—the soundscape melodically reflects the bucolic forest where musical themes occasionally give way to birds chirping, leaves rustling, distant water, and the subtle movements of unseen woodland creatures. These natural sounds, combined with open architecture, foster calm, reflection, and the sense of entering a living, magical forest.

Light & Shade Gallery: Wayne Horvitz's dynamic soundscape dramatizes fantasy’s ancient motif of good versus evil. Radiant melodies and organic textures are set in contrast to deeper, shadowy harmonies on the opposite side, with creative transitions that evoke the genre’s dynamic balance of light and darkness.

Exit Gallery: The journey concludes with a gentle reprise: familiar entrance motifs return, now accompanied by soft piano, nurturing strings, and birdsong. This soft landing encourages visitors to reflect on their adventure and re-enter the world refreshed and inspired.

FANTASY ENTRANCE SOUNDSCAPE: Steve Fisk, Composer. Wayne Horvitz, Artistic Director

Fantasy Kiddie Cave Soundscape: Steve Fisk, Composer. Wayne Horvitz, Artistic Director

MAIN GALLERY SOUNDSCAPE: Steve Fisk, Composer. Wayne Horvitz, Artistic Director

LIGHT & SHADE SOUNDSCAPE: Composer, Wayne Horvitz

GALLERY EXIT SOUNDSCAPE: Steve Fisk, Composer. Wayne Horvitz, Artistic Director