State-of-the-art Network Brings Immersive Experience to Russian Museum Visitors

To mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Leningrad, Smolny Museum opened a special new exposition, “Zhdanov’s Bunker”. In planning the exhibit, itself set in a real underground shelter, the museum wanted an immersive experience that would be like putting visitors in a time machine. For the wired and wireless connectivity to support multimedia displays as well as staff and visitor WiFi, this meant deploying a network in an underground space – a notoriously difficult challenge. Furthermore, to maintain the authenticity of the exhibit, all network equipment had to be kept hidden. This was achieved through a combination of Zyxel GS2210-24HP switches and easy-to-mount WAC6103D-I 802.11ac access points, managed via the NXC2500 WLAN Controller. With high data rates and round-the-clock stability thanks to the APs’ innovative dual-optimized antenna, the network has kept the exhibit running smoothly since its opening. Following the success and positive reception of the exhibition, the museum plans to complete another floor of the bunker in the future. The addition will again require outfitting of network infrastructure, and the museum already has Zyxel Networks in its sights for the project – a vote of confidence and the best demonstration of a job well done.