New Media Galley New at Newseum

File photo of the Newseum's new HP New Media Gallery

With timed previews for Newseum members, The Newseum tonight unveiled its HP New Media Gallery, an innovative, interactive experience that uses the latest technology to allow visitors to step into a multidimensional social network, demonstrating new media's powerful impact on the news and our world.

"The rapid rise of new media is changing ways that news is generated, reported and absorbed by the public," said Jim Duff, CEO of the Newseum. "The HP New Media Gallery will help Newseum visitors understand, in a fun and engaging way, how social networks and mobile devices have fundamentally altered the journalism landscape."

When visitors first enter the gallery they can stop at the Check-in Area, where they can have their photo taken and answer today's question.

Next are two 11-foot-wide interactive touch walls where visitors can learn about the impact of social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Included in this exhibit is the Will.i.am Yes I Can video and the viral Obama girl video from the 2008 Presidential campaign, as well as tweets from the 2008 eatrthquake in China and Facebook postings from the revolution in Egypt last year.

In  the Choose the News section, visitors can peruse news stories in various categories, then using prepared designs, build their own newspaper and publish it to a large display wall.

The Game Zone features motion-tracking technology that allows visitors to use hand gestures to test their knowledge of social media.

The 2,500-square-foot gallery is the first permanent addition to the museum since its grand opening in 2008.   The HP New Media Gallery was made possible with support from the Hewlett-Packard Company.

Tales, Tips, and Tidbits
The HP Gallery opens to the public on April 27. Also that day, the Newseum will launch newmedia.newseum.org, where visitors can download their gallery photos and custom-made news pages, participate in daily polls, and comment on news events as they happen.