Abstract
What if a mediation system weren’t just a tool, but a companion visitors genuinely connect with? At Expo 2025 German Pavilion, 3 million visitors experienced exactly that: the Circulars, character-driven audioguides inspired by Japanese Kawaii aesthetics, became the most popular mascot of the entire World Expo. The Circulars demonstrate how character development transforms functional devices into emotional companions. They speak with their own voice, light up playfully, and even sing together when two meet. Touchpoints throughout the exhibition allow visitors to explore content at their own depth, giving each agency over his or her visit. But the Circulars go beyond the physical device: they appear digitally in exhibits, creating consistent character presence across all exhibition layers. This integrated approach extends reach beyond the exhibition – visitors turned into fans, generating organic social media awareness and emotional identification lasting beyond their visit. Your take-away: We’ll show Circular in action, share statistical visitor data revealing what drove engagement, and discuss approaches for applying these principles to other exhibition contexts. Whether planning your next or rethinking existing guide systems: explore how companions can work in your context. The Circulars inspire participants to rethink mediation systems – from audioguides to apps – by demonstrating how character, voice, and playful interaction can transform visitor engagement. We’ll share scalable principles and real visitor data showing what actually worked, so participants can adapt these insights to their own institutional context.
Presenters
Irina TiedemannSenior Project Manager, Exhibition Design, facts and fiction, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2026 Special Focus—The Future of Museum Narratives
KEYWORDS
MEDIATION, SYSTEM, AUDIO, GUIDE, CHARACTERS, VISITOR, ENGAGEMENT
