MIT MUSEUM
The design seeks to break down the institutional wall and invite the public into critical conversations.
Housed for over two decades in a converted warehouse, MIT’s Museum’s mission and collection had outgrown their facilities. The construction of a new campus in Kendall Square provided the opportunity to create a new multifaceted cultural institution.
Over 25,000 SF of exhibitions covering five scientific themes engage the visitor in a new type of highly interactive exploration that challenges their perception of science, provoking an ethical stance. The design shifts from curving planes and organic materials such as cork, felt, and wood to perforated metal in triangular folding planes and a bold scaffold of vertical and horizontal rails. Spatial frameworks allow for both group and personal interactions with a multitude of artifacts, robots, AI formats, and other exciting materials.
The museum asked that each of the galleries have unique identities and interactive experiences, related to the scientific concepts within. Linking the diverse set of galleries is a strong visual coherence backed by highly resolved detailing and a consistent graphic overlay.
Project Info
Location
Cambridge, MA
Completion
October, 2022
Client
MIT Museum
Collaborators
Media Design: Bluecadet
Graphic Design: Pentagram
Lighting Design: Tillotson Design Associates
Fabrication: Kubik Maltbie
Building Architect: Weiss/ Manfredi, Höweler + Yoon (interiors)
Photographer
Alex Fradkin
Awards
2022 Rethinking the Future 1st Design Award