What is an Echo?
An Echo is a voice from history, an interactive persona that visitors converse with naturally. Each one is created by curators, grounded in research, and brought to life through conversational AI.
An Echo is not a chatbot.
It's a historically grounded persona with a name, personality, knowledge base, and voice. Each Echo is built from primary sources, museum collections, and scholarly research, then shaped by curators who understand the history and the audience.
When a visitor speaks to an Echo, they're not querying a database. They're having a conversation with an embodiment of history: the architect who designed the structure, the craftsperson who made the artifact, the person whose story the exhibit tells.
It's like having a guide who actually lived the history.
Echoes in Action
Every Echo is unique, shaped by the history, the collection, and the curator's vision.
The Shipwright
17th Century, Dutch Republic
“Ask me why I curved the hull that way. I'll tell you about the North Sea storm that taught me, and the three ships I lost before I learned.”
A master shipbuilder from the Dutch Golden Age. Speaks about construction techniques, trade routes, and the daily life of Amsterdam's shipyards. Grounded in maritime museum research and VOC archives.
The Apprentice
15th Century, Bruges
“That blue you're looking at? It cost more than gold. I'll tell you how we ground the lapis lazuli, and what my master would do if I wasted even a grain.”
An apprentice in a Flemish master's workshop. Shares the material reality of creating masterworks: pigment preparation, panel construction, and the guild system that governed their world.
The Architect
Ancient Egypt, Old Kingdom
“You want to know how we moved the stones? The real question is how we convinced ten thousand people to move them together.”
A chief architect overseeing pyramid construction. Speaks about engineering, logistics, labor organization, and the spiritual significance of the structures. Grounded in archaeological research.
Never Meet Your Heroes
It's easy to fall into the trap of trying to recreate historical figures in a museum exhibit. “Talk to Abraham Lincoln!” “Chat with Cleopatra!”
That's not what Echoes are. Echoes are about engaging in conversation with the past, not trying to impersonate a specific person. The difference matters.
An Echo might be the apprentice who prepared the pigments, the engineer who solved the construction challenge, or the artisan whose name was never recorded. These are voices that amplify the museum's story, not celebrity impersonations that detract from it.
“History isn't something you just read about. It's someone you can talk to.”
Grounded in Research
Every Echo is built on a foundation of museum-quality scholarship. Curators upload primary sources, scholarly articles, collection records, and FAQ entries that shape what the Echo knows and how it responds.
- Primary sources and scholarly research form the knowledge base
- Moderation rules prevent inaccurate or inappropriate responses
- Curators review insights and refine the Echo over time
Shipwright's Personal Journal, 1683
3.1 MB · 84 pages
VOC Maritime Trade Records
8.7 MB · 212 pages
Amsterdam Shipyard Photographs, c.1685
14.2 MB · 38 images
Curator FAQ Entries (42 entries)
48 KB
Crew Manifests and Rosters, 1682
1.8 MB · 31 pages
3 visitors asked: How many crew members were aboard?
How long did it take to build a ship?
A full-rigged merchant vessel, two years at minimum and that is if the timber arrived seasoned and the guild did not argue over wages.
Add FAQ Entry
How many crew members were aboard?
Guided by Curators
An Echo learns under the guidance of the curator and museum staff. They define its personality, set its boundaries, provide its knowledge, and review how visitors interact with it. The AI provides the voice, but the expertise comes from the people who know the history best.
Daily insights surface common questions, moderation events, and opportunities to improve the Echo's responses, keeping curators in control without adding to their workload.
Eyes Up, Not Down
Resonant Echoes is voice-first by design. Visitors engage through natural conversation, their eyes on the exhibit and artifacts, not on a screen. The experience enhances the physical space rather than competing with it.
Voice-first
Natural conversation
Eyes on the exhibit
Not on a device
Speak naturally
No typing required
See the Platform Behind the Voices
Learn how curators build, manage, and refine Echoes with the Resonant Echoes platform.
Explore the Platform