A People’s Contest
Exhibit & Interactive Design
Client
American Civil War Museum
Year
2019
My Role
Lead Interactive Designer
A People’s Contest is a permanent exhibition at the American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia, reexamining the Civil War through a broader and more inclusive lens. The exhibition amplifies the perspectives of enslaved and free African Americans, women, civilians, and soldiers, connecting visitors to the ongoing relevance of this pivotal conflict.
As Lead Interactive and Experience Designer, I collaborated with curatorial, fabrication, and media teams to shape the visitor journey, establish the exhibition’s visual identity, and design digital experiences that bridged scholarship with accessibility. My focus was on ensuring the exhibition felt both historically grounded and emotionally resonant for a wide audience.
I directed the development of the exhibition’s graphic system, implementing a cohesive visual language across interpretive panels, labels, signage, large-scale wall graphics, and typography. This system balanced restraint and clarity with immersive storytelling, supporting visitor comprehension while enhancing the atmosphere of the galleries. The visual identity extended across physical and digital elements, ensuring consistency and coherence throughout the space.
I also led the design of digital interactives, most notably a series of five “Year Pillars” that structured the exhibition chronologically. Each station integrated physical artifacts, historical headlines, and layered touchscreen interfaces, allowing visitors to explore events, geographies, and figures through multiple perspectives. By spatially integrating digital media with artifacts and interpretation, the interactives invited deeper engagement and provided flexible entry points for visitors with varying levels of knowledge.