As one of the country’s main tourist attractions, telling its countless stories well for local and international guests to relate and understand the role it played in the country’s road to democracy remains a fundamental requirement. To ensure the Old Fort remains attractive to the public and to enhance its rich heritage innovatively, award-winning interactive exhibit design firm formula D_ has been commissioned to lead the visitor experience upgrade. The company is known for making history accessible and fun using interactive technologies and game design.

formula D_ CEO, Michael Wolf, says the upgrade, which includes a replica Howitzer Cannon, will provide visitors with a curious, self-guided experience; an opportunity to engage physically with the history of the site through audio-visual storytelling, game-like activities, and the punctuated use of cutting edge technology, like a hologram of Joe Slovo, bringing him back to life in a cell.

“Many museums in South Africa struggle to get feet through the door, because their traditional fashion of presenting content doesn’t work for their audiences anymore. formula D uses technology and good storytelling and asks questions that encourage the audience to build their own opinions. At the Old Fort, our intention is to unlock the site’s history in manners that encourage critical thinking for visitors of various age groups and educational backgrounds”, Wolf says.