The Port Discovery Children's Museum in Baltimore is offering children who visit an exhibition about ancient Egypt the use of a BlackBerry pager to lead them through a series of interactive activities designed to enhance what they see on the exhibition floor, according to a report by New York Times on Friday.
The pager, called a Kid Club Communicator, is kept in a fanny pack that visitors put on when they enter the exhibition. About 90 of the devices, which are linked to a network provided by Aether Systems, are available free with admission.
The pagers are used in conjunction with 12 exhibit areas where activities must be completed to earn points. Once they log on and learn how to use the device at an orientation center, children are assigned to a group and given the identity of a 1920's-era archaeologist on a mission to find the tomb of a lost pharaoh, said the paper.
One example is when a child stands at a shrine and is asked to select the god pictured on the BlackBerry display that does not match the gods pictured on the wall. If the correct image is selected, the pager vibrates and sends a signal to the network, triggering the showing of an animated video on a wall- mounted television screen, said the report.
According to experts, Egypt hosts a third of the world’s archaeological heritage, with a lot of uniqueness such as the Pyramids and the rest of reminders of the pharaonic ages.
Port Discovery, a kid powered museum designed by the Walt Disney Company, is an 80,000 square-foot museum full of educational fun, physical challenges, traveling exhibits, mystery house, and a library – Albawaba.com
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