Emperor’s App

One story, three storytellers: an interactive journey through the exhibition

2019 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Emperor Maximilian I. The monastery of Klosterneuburg honours the monarch, who ruled during the late Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period, with a special exhibition. Maximilian I was not only an impressive ruler but also an expert on political communication. To spread one’s own ideas and beliefs was just as important to politicians then as it is today – the content and channels, however, have changed.

By using interactive stations, the exhibition “The Emperor’s New Saint” tells the story of the importance of Klosterneuburg Monastery during the reign of Maximilian I. How and why did the monarch worship the canonised Babenberg-Margrave and founder of Klosterneuburg monastery, Leopold III? Why were family trees and genealogies important in the 15th century? What changed when print was invented and how did Emperor Maximilian I want to be remembered? Three eligible narratives give insights into different aspects of the same story.

The exhibition enables visitors to experience history, ranging from local conflicts to political decisions concerning the emperor’s realm. The app imparts knowledge in a playful way: it allows users to take on the role of a person who lived in the time of Maximilian I. Rise from beggar to nobleman and attend an audience with the Emperor to receive your personal coat of arms!

The exhibition “The Emperor’s New Saint. Maximilian I and Margrave Leopold III in Times of Media Change” can be visited from the 9th of March to the 17th of November, 2019 at Klosterneuburg Monastery (Stiftsplatz 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria). You can find further information about the exhibition, opening hours and guided tours on the website www.stift-klosterneuburg.at.

All interactive elements of this exhibition were developed in the framework of the research project MEETeUX (meeteux.fhstp.ac.at) by a team of the Institute of Creative \ Media / Technologies at St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences. MEETeUX (Multi-Device Ecologies Towards Elaborate User Experience) deals with issues in the areas of interaction design and user experience design and aims at an integrated use of media technology devices such as mobile devices, multi-touch tabletops or large surfaces in multi-device ecologies.

Your participation allows us to carry out extensive evaluations in the field of user experience as part of the exhibition.

The project is funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) within the funding line COIN Aufbau (capacity building), project number 856308.