Hero's Journey Educational Exhibit | The Strong Museum of Play
Fusion 360, Procreate, Photoshop
The Strong National Museum of Play is an interactive museum located in Rochester, New York. It is dedicated to collecting, preserving, displaying, and interpreting the history of toys and play.
Project Brief and Goals
In a team of four, develop a children's book-themed interactive exhibit to replace the current Nonsense House portion of the Reading Adventureland area that educates, entertains, and encourages reading for a demographic of children aged 7-13 years old.
The Hero's Journey
A narrative-driven exhibit that teaches children about the hero's journey literary framework through a backyard adventure to find a missing pet. We aimed to give children agency by re-contextualizing a common setting—the backyard. Each member created a core interactive component placed within the redesigned layout.
Process
Research and Development
Grade school children aged 7-13 are:
- Independently reading longer form books
- Beginning to identify major elements of stories like plot, problem, and resolution
- Using pretend play to create their own narratives
Source: kidshealth.org
What Experiences Should the Space Aim to Accommodate?
- Discovery and adventure
- Independence and empowerment
- Immersive, larger than life experience
- Pretend play with a driving narrative
Moodboard
The intended aesthetics were based on a limited, bright color palette that gave an elevated and otherworldly sense to real life, everyday scenarios.
Ideation
Ideation for my interactive was based on physically activating the learning material. The goal was to educate visitors on the Hero's Journey model in a way that was still engaging for young audiences, and could meet their varying reading comprehension level.
Refinement and Prototyping
Material and Color Palette
The color palette drew natural and earthy inspiration without being too dull. The limited hues and use of matte wood and gloss paint kept production cost considerations feasible, while also maintaining a cohesive feel.
Storyboarding and Prototyping
I created storyboards to map interaction with my activity, as well as physical prototypes for peers to user test.
This allowed me to measure pain points, potential oversights, and consider construction methods.
Final Assembly
The final interactive and associated models teaches children the Hero's Journey framework by breaking famous stories down into parts that correspond to the growth of a garden plant. Visitors can use the shapes or the story to guide their activity based on their reading level, while also engaging in pretend play that reflects real life skills.
