EXHIBITS
In collaboration with client and design teams, I establish the interpretive foundation for exhibits that aim to inspire, inform, and impact visitors. Guided by each client's mission and goals, an understanding of their target audiences, and an appreciation of their unique collections and stories, I help craft the creative strategy and lead content development. From science centers and heritage sites to children's museums and cultural organizations, my work shapes the exhibit design, ensuring that the environment and the experiences achieve the project's core goals, embody the key messages, and connect with diverse audiences.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
The Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis is an archaeological site dating back to Roman antiquity. The Visitor Center aims to reveal the complexity of the site and connect diverse audiences to Bulgaria’s heritage. How do you captivate local citizens and international tourists, school children and scholars, with 20 centuries of history? Challenge them to piece together a mystery by uncovering stories of people building upon and using this place over time. In collaboration with the client, design team, and subject matter experts in archaeology, epigraphy, forensic anthropology, history, and mosaic restoration, I crafted the visitor experience criteria; co-developed interactive learning experiences; wrote the exhibition script; and managed content development for media and graphic panels.
Studio: SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership
© America for Bulgaria Foundation
© Kristopher Decker, Firewater Photography
Environmental Science & Sustainability Center
Greenville, SC
The Environmental Science and Sustainability Center at Roper Mountain Science Center empowers elementary and middle school students to recognize that together we can build a sustainable future for our interconnected world. How do you go beyond educating visitors and motivate them to take action in their daily lives? Evoke awe about Greenville’s natural resources; illustrate how choices affect the environment and the community; challenge kids to measure their impact; and ask them to share an action list. My role consisted of leading interpretive planning; writing the exhibition script; conceptualizing ideas for hands-on learning activities; and managing content development with RMSC's education team.
Studio: SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership
Portsmouth, VA
The Children’s Museum of Virginia set out to reimagine and upgrade its exhibits to engage younger children in grades pre-K to 3 and integrate best practices in STEM learning. How do you refresh the traditional Main Street in a children’s museum to be more active, playful, and interdisciplinary? Transform the doctor’s office into a gym with physical interactives that reveal how the body works; replace display cases in the music shop with experiments to test string, woodwind, and percussion instruments; and convert a pond diorama into a backyard setting for a clubhouse with games to sort critters, match leaves, and design butterflies. My role included analyzing the existing exhibits; establishing the visitor experience criteria; collaborating on concept designs for new activities and exhibits; and writing the exhibit script and label copy.
Studio: SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership
© SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership
© SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership
River of Stars
Shanghai, China
The concept design for the River of Stars exhibit at the Shanghai Planetarium traces the history of astronomy and interprets our never-ending quest for knowledge about the cosmos. How do you transform a chronological timeline into an inspiring expedition? Lead with curiosity. From ancient civilizations wondering, “what are the lights in the sky?” to modern astrophysicists speculating, “what is the cosmic evolution of our diverse universe?”, the exhibit is organized by the questions that have shaped our understanding of the universe. My role consisted of crafting the content strategy and exhibit script; coordinating content development with the client team and consultants including astrophysicist, James Sweitzer; and brainstorming visitor interactives to accompany traditional graphic panels and casework.
Studio: SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership with Xenario
Equal Justice Initiative
Montgomery, AL
The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration confronts America’s history of racial injustice, compelling our nation towards truth and reconciliation. Recognizing that visitors carry diverse experiences and understanding of racial inequality, how do you tell raw stories of our collective history in a way that provides education, legitimacy, and catharsis? Shock people with undeniable truth. Discover the humanity in the midst of inhumanity. And provide opportunities for people to process truth. My role as strategist consisted of leading research and discovery; writing the creative strategy defining the project goals, target audiences, core stories, visitor outcomes, and experience guidelines; and collaborating with the Equal Justice Initiative and design team on the concept design.
Studio: Local Projects
© Vidya Cowsik Santosh
© Local Projects
San Francisco, CA
Futures Without Violence is a health and social justice nonprofit committed to ending violence against women and children. To expand their efforts of individual and collective change, the organization set out to create a museum that would attract new audiences. How do you create a place of hope with stories of darkness? Weave science into story and focus on practical tools and solutions at three levels of change: individual thoughts and actions; cultural norms; and systemic policies and laws. My role as strategist included establishing the project goals and visitor outcomes; crafting visitor personas; researching compelling stories; and creating a visitor flow diagram with key messages, guiding principles, and potential ideas for activities and experiences.
Studio: Local Projects