The Institute of Design, Nirma University, hosted a talk by Ms. Shalini Bansal, Co-Founder of Museums22 and HopOn India, on 1 September 2026. The session, titled “Bringing Heritage Home with Tech and Design,” explored the intersection of design, technology, storytelling, and cultural heritage through Shalini’s extensive experience of creating engaging experiences around museums and heritage spaces across India.
Drawing from her work with institutions and destinations such as NGMA, Salar Jung Museum, Mumbai Airport Museum, Maratha Artillery Museum, Gutu Kahan Art Museum Youngsters, and others, Shalini shared how Museums22 has experimented with a range of formats to make museum experiences more accessible and engaging. She spoke about developing audio experiences that could be accessed through QR codes, synced gallery audio, games and AR-based experiences, as well as curating heritage and city tours on the HopOn application across destinations including Mumbai, Varanasi, Elephanta, Kolkata, Delhi, and Jaipur. Her presentation highlighted that designing for heritage requires an understanding of both the character of a place and the needs of its audience, with every project bringing its own set of challenges and opportunities.
A particularly engaging aspect of the session was Shalini’s sharing of real-life anecdotes and stories from her professional journey. She spoke candidly about the persistence required to approach museums and institutions across the country, the importance of believing in one’s product, and the need to continuously adapt and find solutions in response to different situations. Her experiences offered students valuable insights into the realities of building a design practice and working on multidisciplinary projects involving culture, technology, and public engagement.
The session concluded with reflections on the many lessons learnt through their journey, emphasising the importance of honesty, persistence, adaptability, and continuous learning. Shalini’s message to the students was simple yet powerful: “Honesty is our only policy, and we must never stop learning.” The talk provided an inspiring perspective on how designers can contribute to preserving, interpreting, and reimagining India’s rich heritage through thoughtful design and emerging technologies.