1220 Opens Fantastical Storymaking Gallery in Children’s Museum
In the Spring of 2015, the San Antonio Children’s Museum moved into a larger facility, rebranded itself the DoSeum and after a rigorous bidding and interview process, awarded 1220 Exhibits of Nashville, Tennessee, fabrication of the Imagine It! Gallery including the Entry Tunnel, Fantasy Storymaking, Formalized Storymaking and Reading Lab areas.
Visitors enter the gallery through a fantastical, floor-to-ceiling digital fabrication tunnel that becomes a color-saturated backdrop for visitors to use in their storymaking and will change colors and imagery with lighting effects projected onto it, becoming a forest glen, underwater grotto or jewel-lined cave with words appearing on the floor in pools of light reading, “What’s your story?” and “Where does your imagination lead you?” Children are encouraged to use their imaginations to act out stories with friends and family with props that can be found in the galleries to add to their stories.
1220 coordinated the theatrical lighting system with the floor installer to install “trigger” points demarcated by a floor type change and hidden sensors triggering light/sound effects that tie to lighting presets. At any point during the day, the museum staff can select the theme to change the environment and 1220’s Interactive Specialist, Lucas McCallister, programmed projectors to fill the space with images and fanciful additions like shooting stars and bubbles.
The Reading Lab area is a comfortable book-rich environment defined by a large circular wall made of bookshelves holding books that visitors can read or have read to them in one of three Listening Nooks. Large enough to fit an adult and child, these nooks have a custom fabricated tension fabric hood/awning concealing a directional speaker system that is activated by recognition hardware after a child holds a book to a sensor on a tablet reader.
The rebranded DoSeum will open June 6th and is sure to inspire and delight all who visit. At the DoSeum, one visit is never to be the same as the last, depending on theme of the day that gives children the opportunity to act out multiple stories, intensify their creative skills and spur them to read books where they will discover heroes, and that nothing is impossible.
With over 100,000 square feet production facility in Nashville, TN, 1220 provides breakthrough solutions for the fabrication and installation of exhibits, events, and experiences. Past clients range from history museums and nature centers, to sports and music halls of fame. For more information on how 1220 can make your vision a reality, contact 1-800-333-1220 or visit www.1220.com.
