what is a soundwalk?

A soundwalk is like an audio museum tour, but outside. The Shaktoolik Soundwalk used interviews and special binaural field recordings to create an immersive, "virtual-reality" experience that allowed listeners to walk in the footsteps of those who live in Shaktoolik.  

Presented in partnership with the Anchorage Museum, we installed a "virtual-reality travel" desk in the museum lobby on First Friday.  Three "flights" left for Shaktoolik every 20 minutes, and were led by a tour guide and two flight attendants.  Participants texted a number and received a link to the audio, which everyone started at once.  

The walk took 30 minutes, approximately the time it would take to walk the entire length of Shaktoolik.  Flight crew handed out different items related to what participants were hearing, such as candy and smoked salmon.  The walk was also timed so that a story about encountering whales could be heard while looking at an iconic whale mural.