Behind the scenes

The San Diego Natural History Museum’s latest exhibition offers visitors an intimate look into the Museum’s collections and research work.

Project:
Amazement in the Basement

Gallery Type:
2,000 sq.-ft. permanent exhibit

Our Role:
Exhibit desigN

Project Partners:
The San diego Natural history museum (AKA THE NAT), san diego, CA; EDX Exhibits (exhibit development partner), Seattle, WA

Photos:
The San diego Natural history museum

Unusual prospects

Visitors are drawn to the lower level space by a graphic murmuration of birds that points the way. A striking whale skeleton marks the entrance to the Museum’s Paleontology Center, where much of the Museum’s collections are stored.

Library of life

An initial Cabinets of Curiosities style space introduces the purpose, focus and value of the work of the Museum’s Collections group using amazing specimens, eye-catching infographics, illustrative stories, and simple, meaningful mechanical interactivity.

up close & personal

The star of the show is a public corridor where visitors can peer directly into collections storage space and engage with scientists who are working on the preparation of specimens.

Interactives give visitors a hands-on sense of the work of collections staff.