Danske Bank

Interactive Museum

The project includes all parts of the process from early design to the solutions are delivered for the physical and digital development of a system for an Interactive Museum

Concept
The Production Plan

The Danske Bank Interactive Museum transforms the bank’s 150-year history into an engaging, hands-on experience. Spanning two dynamic spaces—the Gallery and Arrival Area—it blends storytelling, art, and interactive technology to connect visitors with finance’s evolving role in society.

Project Leadership & Development

As Project Manager, I led the end-to-end creation of the museum, from initial concept to launch, ensuring seamless integration of historical narrative, technology, and user experience. Key responsibilities included:

  • Strategic Planning & Execution: Defined project scope, timelines, and deliverables, coordinating cross-functional teams (designers, developers, historians, and curators) to align with business objectives.

  • Interactive Software Development: Oversaw the design and implementation of custom touchscreen applications, the Educational Experience business simulator, and the Lighthouse trading game, ensuring intuitive UX and robust backend functionality.

  • Stakeholder Alignment: Conducted iterative workshops with senior leadership, historians, and external partners to refine storytelling, balance educational and entertainment value, and secure buy-in at each phase.

  • Sustainability & Accessibility: Championed inclusive design, integrating bilingual (Danish/English) interfaces, eco-friendly materials, and adaptive features for diverse audiences.

The Experience

The Gallery immerses guests in a walk-through diorama of bank history (1870–present), with recreated interiors, authentic artifacts, and hidden touchscreens inside vintage ledgers. A curated art gallery complements the journey, with digital screens exploring themes like industrialization and fintech.

For schools and corporate groups, the Educational Experience turns history into a team challenge: players manage a virtual company, making strategic decisions tied to real crises (e.g., the 1922 market crash) while competing for high scores.

The Arrival Area features the Lighthouse Experience—a fast-paced trading simulator where visitors act as stockbrokers reacting to 150 years of market shifts. Interactive screens display global events, pushing players to adapt in real time.

Designed with clean Nordic aesthetics, the museum merges physical and digital seamlessly. It’s more than a corporate archive; it’s a space for learning, collaboration, and discovery—a testament to the power of stakeholder-driven innovation.

Development
The Team

PortaPlay led the interactive experience design, developing the educational trading game, touchscreen interfaces, and immersive media stations while managing the full digital production. SRL handled exhibition design and architectural integration, while ProShop Europe implemented the AV systems. Specialist fabricators Sorø and Brand Factory created the physical displays, all working under Danske Bank’s oversight to merge historical storytelling with cutting-edge interactivity

I served as Project Manager for DB’s new interactive museum, overseeing the development of five digital installations. These included a video playback system integrated into a diorama, a digital desk for browsing information and viewing images, an interactive art installation, and two games: a learning game for tablets and a stock market simulation game using a button-controlled setup with six monitors.

My role involved coordinating multidisciplinary teams, managing timelines and budgets, and ensuring seamless development and integration of the installations. I worked to balance technical requirements with creative goals, ensuring the project met both its functional and experiential objectives.

Team planning

The team followed a phased approach, beginning with Danske Bank and SRL defining historical themes and spatial requirements. PortaPlay then prototyped interactive experiences in parallel with SRL’s exhibition design. ProShop Europe coordinated AV integration timelines with Sorø/Brand Factory’s fabrication schedule. Regular cross-team syncs ensured seamless merging of physical displays with digital interactives, while Danske Bank maintained oversight on historical accuracy and brand alignment throughout the production timeline.

Release
Final production

The project delivers a fully immersive museum experience featuring:

  1. A time-traveling gallery with era-specific dioramas, interactive displays, and historical artifacts

  2. Digital trading games where visitors experience 150 years of financial history

  3. Multi-touch media stations seamlessly integrated into vintage bank furniture

  4. A dynamic “Lighthouse” trading floor simulator with real-time gameplay

  5. Curated art displays blending physical artworks with digital interpretations

  6. Educational programs with gamified learning experiences for schools

  7. Integrated AV systems with projection mapping and ambient soundscapes

  8. Custom exhibition furniture and period-accurate replicas

  9. Bilingual interfaces (Danish/English) across all digital content

  10. Centralized control systems for easy maintenance and updates