Published by Bluewater Studio
You don’t need a big space to make a big impact! At the Museum of the Rockies visitors explore prehistoric history in their newest exhibition, Cretaceous Crossroads. Inside, large dinosaur skeletons, more than 100 paleontological specimens, and hands-on interactives bring an ancient world to life across a floorplan that is less than 2,500 square feet.
How do you fit so much discovery into a compact space? Through thoughtful design and smart project management, this exhibit packs millions of years of paleontological history into an engaging experience full of learning and exploration. Effective interactives, technology, and environmental enhancements that range in cost and complexity are used to deepen engagement and create an impactful visitor experience.
Immersive Lighting
High impact does not always mean high cost: using creative lighting and projections is an especially budget-friendly way to create an immersive experience within a space of virtually any size. Here, ceiling projectors cast a shimmering watery glow over an inland sea diorama, adding visual interest and effectively drawing visitors into this ancient marine environment.
Interactive Storytelling
Another opportunity for meaningful engagement is at this “Meet a Paleontologist” experience. Interactive technology enhances storytelling by presenting first person accounts from researchers. The conversation is initiated when visitors respond to an invitation to tap the researcher on the shoulder via the touch screen, which results in the person turning toward and engaging with the visitor. Visitors hear directly from experts and are intermittently encouraged to select pre-loaded questions that drive the conversation in a variety of directions, giving individuals the opportunity to tailor the experience to their unique interests.
High-Tech Meets Low-Tech
At this centrally located table, visitors can gather to manually manipulate a high-tech video magnifier to examine minute details on artifacts in the covered trays below, which slide back and forth and rotate for maximum visibility. An irresistible combination of magnification, video and physical interaction results in high engagement and extended dwell time.
Augmented Reality
In an exhibit where there are six large dinosaur skeletons and fossil specimens on almost every wall, it can be a challenge to entice visitors to engage meaningfully with a specific one. Here, visitors stop to operate this viewing screen into the past to interact with a dynamic animated version of the Maiasaura skeleton and her nest. The dinosaur moves, looks at you, and interacts with her environment – including feeding her young. Panning the screen reveals more details of the scene, including a pterosaur flying across the sky, a small mammal popping up from a burrow and neighboring Maiasaura.
Large Projection Interaction
This large format animated projection is formative to understanding the Cretaceous period and helps inform other themes throughout the exhibit. The scale and shape of this map are both important: it is large enough to draw attention from across the gallery and it utilizes vertical space on a wall where room is limited. At first, visitors passively experience the massive Western Interior Seaway wax and wane over tens of millions of years. As they approach the map, visitors discover that they can manipulate the flow of time using an intuitive wheel interface, allowing them to examine the overarching effects of geological changes on the ancient environment.
By engaging early in the conception of the exhibition and working through a collaborative design-build process, Bluewater Studio and our partners were able to work closely with MOR staff to design, fabricate, and install an exhibition that prioritizes the visitor experience while providing an in-depth understanding of the Cretaceous period and its influence on life today. No matter the size of an environment, there are solutions that can create immersive experiences and opportunities for interaction.
Cretaceous Crossroads was designed and produced in collaboration with our partners at Lord Cultural Resources, WeatherstonBruer Associates, Engine Studio, Angle Park, and Morlights.
This post was originally published to LinkedIn.
