Story Wall @ SLSA – Permanent Architectural Projection

The Story Wall at the State Library of South Australia was an interactive creative permanent projection installation, playing every night of the year.

The Story Wall concept – taking the Library from the inside to outside – was a new type of exhibition explored by the State Library. It connected the Library and its collections with people of all ages, who may not have been aware of the Library previously.

When the Library closed for the day, the State Library Forecourt came alive with fascinating stories, characters, history and hidden gems projecting onto the exterior wall of the Institute Building. Story Wall’s interactive interface enabled visitors to choose from over 40 stories via the interactive pod, to use imagery and sound to tell stories exclusively from the Library’s collections, treasures and exhibitions.

It was the first permanent projection by a cultural institution in the world and Story Wall was very proudly launched by the director Alan Smith, and officially opened by the Hon. Jack Snelling MP Minister for the Arts, in November 2015. It ran until March 2020, when it was closed due to the pandemic.

I’m delighted to see this innovative exhibition experience at the Library, the first of its kind on any cultural institution in Australia. All the content you see on the Story Wall is from our collections and showcases the richness of our State’s history in such a unique and creatively engaging way.

Alan Smith, director SLSA