Dinosaur Armor
Helping the Carnegie Museum of Natural History Reopen After Pandemic Lockdown
Deliverables: Visual Identity, Exhibit Graphics, Wayfinding Signage
Dinosaur Armor was a temporary exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh that was on view from June 2020 to July 2021. My work as a design contractor began in February 2020, but soon the country experienced the closure of public spaces, including museums, as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. I continued to press on with the project, collaborating 100% virtually with the museum’s exhibits team to create the exhibit’s visual identity, labels, wall graphics, and wayfinding signage. The originally scheduled June opening date coincided with the nationwide relaxation of restrictions and the reopening of the museum itself. Dinosaur Armor suddenly became the new main attraction that would draw visitors back through its doors.
Exhibit Branding
The museum acquired this traveling exhibit with the goal of rejuvenating it. It had come with several steel fixtures and cases with a weathered and riveted appearance, so leaning into this industrial aesthetic was the obvious choice. Inspiration for the logo came from the designs of America’s industrial past: railroad graphics, extinct steel company logos, and the everyday artwork associated with mid-century heavy industry.
Exhibit Labels
Clear display signage and impactful wall graphics directly contributed to a positive exhibit experience. The graphics here were designed to inform visitors without distracting from the specimens themselves, while remaining consistent with the overarching brand of the exhibit.
Wayfinding Signage
With an institution as large as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, directing visitors to the exhibit with clearly marked wayfinding signage is key to the exhibit’s success. I created over a dozen pieces of directional signage that range from discreet door signs to enormous exhibit hall banners.
Photography by Nick Conti. Additional photos provided by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.