Museum makeover

Transforming a Pittsburgh Institution

As the newly-appointed Art Director at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, I was eager to make my mark on the institution. Museum leadership thankfully shared that same enthusiasm and identified several areas requiring immediate attention, particularly the semi-permanent galleries and wayfinding systems where graphics had slipped into obsolescence and disrepair. Collaborating closely with the team, we identified low-cost, high-impact solutions to address the most pressing visual and navigational challenges.

So Many Bugs!

A Complete Gallery Glow-up

If any area needed a transformation, it was the museum’s Invertebrate Zoology hallway. “Bug Hall” had long been overlooked—a dimly lit corridor with gray walls and a few tired display cases. This unremarkable space offered a blank canvas for an exciting new gallery.

As a new creative narrative was being written to celebrate the world of bugs, I developed a bold new art direction for the space. Big images, friendly typography, and a colorful wall pattern inspired by insect wings were combined to bring a fresh energy to the hall. Once this pattern was painted on the walls and illuminated with a new lighting system, the vivid colors reflected across the polished granite floor like stained glass. Together, these elements transformed the forgotten hallway into a vibrant cathedral of critters—a tribute to the beauty and complexity of the invertebrate world.

Chirp, Chitter, Caw!

Injecting Life into a Lifeless Space

The museum’s “Bird Hall” hadn’t been updated in quite some time and was next on the list of spaces in need of revival. It was a dark, silent gallery lined with cases of taxidermied birds and interpretive panels that felt more like relics than resources.

Revival came in the form of a reimagined exhibition centered around the sonic beauty of bird calls. The team collaborated with artists to weave bird sounds throughout the space, creating an immersive experience anchored by a curated selection of “hero birds.” These standout specimens received upgraded displays and fresh, engaging labels. Larger hallway panels were also transformed, and existing fixtures were refreshed with a new identity and colorful graphics sporting a newly hatched exhibition name: Chirp, Chitter, Caw! Surrounded by Birdsong. The result was an elegant, warm, and welcoming environment that finally matched the joy and wonder of its subject.