(Harrisburg, PA) -The National Civil War Museum is introducing the first in a series of technologically advanced and interactive exhibits, according to Museum CEO David Patterson. "We're working closely with Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, The Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania and Harrisburg University of Science and Technology to bring together state of the art technology and apply it to upcoming exhibits at   The National Civil War Museum," Patterson said today.

A touch-screen synthetic interview with Pennsylvania historical figure Benjamin Franklin has been installed at the Museum to serve as a temporary introduction to an upcoming Abraham Lincoln exhibit.  It was developed by a research design team at Carnegie Mellon University and brought to Harrisburg by CMU's Julie A. McKenzie.

"The Ben Franklin Synthetic Interview uses software technology that allows people to interact in real time with the historic personality," McKenzie said. "A student can ask Ben Franklin a question and the technology searches Mr. Franklin's database for the appropriate answer," she continued.  

In late Spring, the Museum will unveil the Abraham Lincoln Exhibit, featuring CMU-ETC's latest interactive technologies. The Lincoln exhibit will be using the next generation of technology that produced the Ben Franklin experience, bringing state of the art technologies to Harrisburg.

"We've also been working with Charles Palmer, former CMU researcher and current Executive Director of the Harrisburg University Center for Advanced Entertainment & Learning Technologies, to develop new interactive experiences at the Museum," Patterson added.

Other technological advances at the Museum over the last year have included a redesigned website and Wi-Fi capabilities.

Kelly Lewis, Museum Board member & President of The Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania, has been a catalyst in organizing, funding and coordinating technology partnerships in Harrisburg. "We see The National Civil War Museum as a nexus institution important to developing strategies to build technology infrastructures in the mid-state. This collaboration will provide opportunities for cyber applications, network resources and a platform to give schools, intermediate units and related entities the ability to create additional content, curriculum and materials more easily," Lewis said. 

"The technology upgrade at the Museum is in anticipation of the upcoming 150th commemoration of the American Civil War," according to Board of Directors Chairperson Gene Barr.  Barr added, "This promises to be an exciting time for The National Civil War Museum."