Wolfgang Schreiner - Speaker

Stimulation or Manipulation?

Managing Director & Partner, NOUS Digital

Abstract:

How far can immersive design go — and when does it cross a line?

In this case study, Femke Bijlsma and Wolfgang Schreiner present their recent collaboration on the Emily Hobhouse War Rooms at the EHH Museum in Cornwall, UK. Designed as a “documentary in space,” the installation immerses visitors in the Second Anglo-Boer War (South Africa, 1899–1902), aligning spatial design with audio storytelling to create a deeply emotional, almost cinematic experience.

Visitors report feeling as if they’ve witnessed history firsthand — many leaving visibly moved. This talk goes behind the scenes of the project to explore how immersive experiences can inform, provoke, and even manipulate. What are the benefits and the risks of this powerful form of storytelling?

About Wolfgang:

Wolfgang Schreiner (he/him) is Managing Director and Partner at NOUS Digital, where he leads the strategic development of digital experiences for museums and cultural institutions around the world. With over 20 years of experience, he has guided major projects such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s digital rollout and the design of the NOUS Sonic immersive audio system.

Wolfgang’s approach blends technical fluency with a deep understanding of storytelling and visitor psychology. With a background in theatre, film, and media studies, he specialises in helping institutions use technology not just for innovation’s sake, but to create lasting, emotionally rich cultural encounters.

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