{"id":29950,"date":"2026-03-27T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigan.it.umich.edu\/news\/?p=29950"},"modified":"2026-03-27T10:42:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T14:42:29","slug":"rethinking-how-a-museum-teaches-shaping-new-ways-to-learn-and-explore-with-tech-at-the-sindecuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigan.it.umich.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/27\/rethinking-how-a-museum-teaches-shaping-new-ways-to-learn-and-explore-with-tech-at-the-sindecuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Rethinking how a museum teaches: Shaping new ways to learn and explore with tech at the Sindecuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For many, the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry<\/a> brings to mind rows of artifacts behind glass with small printed labels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That version of the museum still exists, but it\u2019s no longer the whole story. Today, the space uses tech to create a more intentional and interactive experience for curious visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A layered experience, not just a display<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tamara Barnes, the museum’s director, recalls that when she first started in the role the exhibits were largely static. Information lived on labels, and every visitor received the same experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s been the fun part,\u201d she says. \u201cWe\u2019ve been able to add so much more content through the kiosk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interactive kiosks now sit alongside artifacts, offering layers of information that visitors can choose based on their interest. Some may want deeper history. Others might be drawn to personal stories or images tied to the objects.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"a<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn endless possibility,\u201d she adds, describing how content can expand without overwhelming the physical space. The experience adapts to the person, not the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology, with an off switch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s notable is that technology hasn\u2019t taken over the space. Barnes is thoughtful about balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That balance shows up in hands-on activities, especially for children. In fact, the museum wasn\u2019t always designed with them in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBefore I got here, I think it actually said on the website that it wasn\u2019t suitable for children,\u201d she says. \u201cWe\u2019ve made a big effort to add hands-on activities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visitors might come across everything from historical dental tools to more unexpected exhibits, like teeth modification, alongside the stories that give them context. \u201cOur museum is just a lot of eye candy,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you don\u2019t want to be on a screen, there\u2019s also a lot to see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accessibility, beyond compliance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accessibility shows up in expected ways with contrast, font choices, physical access to kiosks. But Barnes describes something deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe other big thing \u2026 I would call it psychological accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main exhibit used to sit behind glass, creating distance between visitors and objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe took out the glass so that now you literally are standing right in front of the object,\u201d she says. \u201cIt feels like you\u2019re supposed to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Atrium
Tactile displays and interactive components for diverse learning styles.
All photos courtesy Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Lighting was improved. Displays were simplified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to remember it\u2019s sort of less is more,\u201d she explains. \u201cOtherwise, it just sort of feels like grandma\u2019s attic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even the writing has shifted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a whole public that comes in that doesn\u2019t know anything about dentistry,\u201d she says. \u201cMaking sure our text is written at a level that\u2019s more for the general public, that\u2019s a big one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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