Interactive African American Museum & Cultural Center

Project Overview

Built for African American students in 1919, this school building is being adapted to serve as an African American museum and cultural center. The Interactive African American Museum and Cultural Center is an interactive museum and community resource dedicated to promoting dialogue on the issues of African American history, diversity, equality, accessibility, and inclusion.

More than a museum, the institution is a center for social justice and societal change — educating, inspiring, and supporting civil society through theatrical events, community outreach, pop-up exhibits, online programming, and in-person interactive exhibits.

Visitor Experience Design

The visitor experience was designed around a core persona — a young African American teenager navigating identity, community, and culture. Every space was designed to provide voice, place, and connection: from the history lab and media center to the maker space, sound studio, and cultural center.

Exhibition Spaces

The museum includes a My Story interactive entry, an introduction hall and art gallery, a history lab, a media center, a maker space with MIDI and recording studio, and a cultural center with an exterior projection mapping show. Technology is integrated throughout — smartphone ticketing, native social media integration, and digital exhibitions.

Technology Narrative

The museum was designed to be native to the platforms its audience already uses: TikTok, YouTube, Instagram — blended between in-person and at-home experiences. The goal was not to add technology as a feature, but to make the museum feel at home in the digital landscape where its audience lives.