Opportunity
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, is among the top natural history museums in the country. Using the Bug Hall at the Carnegie Natural History Museum as a pivot point, we align with the museum’s mission to deepen wonder and advance understanding of our natural world -
past and present - in order to embrace responsibility for our collective future. Museums provide a unique space to reshape perceptions of time, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in worlds that are otherwise inaccessible in daily life. This presents an opportunity to educate and engage families, helping them recognize the plurality of lives that cohabitate our planet yet often remain unacknowledged.
Outcome
The Arthropod Odyssey is a multi-modal, interactive experience designed transform public perception by fostering engagement through immersive storytelling, augmented reality (AR), and tactile interactions. By connecting the past, present, and future, this project invites families to explore the unseen contributions of arthropods, reframing them as essential ecosystem partners. Visitors participate
in an AR navigation system, tactile and visual simulations of insect communication, and interactive projections demonstrating arthropod's ecological impact. The result is an engaging, educational, and transformative journey through the world of insects.
Recognition
The Arthropod Odyssey has been awarded the 2025
Silver Muse Design Award in the Conceptual Design Category. Established by the International Awards Associate (IAA) in 2015, the Muse Design Award aims to push the boundaries of what is possible, inspiring others to further elevate the standards of the design world.
Research and Iteration
Our Process
Our research process involved studying existing museum exhibit strategies, analyzing visitor engagement patterns, and exploring innovative interaction models that enhance learning experiences. In our exploratory research we conducted 6 interviews with museum goers and staff,
4 observational sessions at the museum, as well as desk research into existing precedents.
What We Saw
Observed in our 4 site visit sessions to the
Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
What We Heard
In our 6 interview sessions with museums goers that included families with children, couples, and young adults.
Design Principles
Based on our primary and secondary research findings we synthesized the following design principles and research question to aid in guiding our design direction.
Learner-Centered Design
Multi-Sensory Interaction
Constructivist Exprience
Encouraging creative exploration and curiosity through interactive storytelling.
Using AR, haptics, and projection mapping to create immersive learning opportunities.
Enabling visitors to reflect and build their own understanding through hands-on experiences.
Research Question:
How might we demonstrate the vital ecological roles of arthropods to foster a positive perception among families visiting the Carnegie Natural History Museum?
Ideation
Through iterative testing and prototyping, we generated an initial concept journey map and a system diagram for both an AR navigation experience, and our interactive exhibit at the Bug Hall.
Design Summary
AR Navigation & Tour App
Most visitors struggle to locate the Bug Hall or miss its connection to the museum’s broader narrative. Our
AR-enabled experience addresses these challenges by serving as both a way-finding tool and an educational guide. This would enhance accessibility and understanding by connecting exhibits to the larger ecological narrative, showcasing how arthropods have shaped and sustained ecosystems across time.
Tour selection, and dynamic 3D museum map for seamless navigation.
Curated tours that reveal the evolutionary history of arthropods through interactive AR storytelling.
Gamified experiences that teach visitors about arthropod anatomy and behaviors.
Multi-Modal Bug Hall Experience
Many visitors are unaware of how bugs communicate or perceive their environment, and the critical ecological roles insects play are often overlooked. These interactive experiences use multi-sensory engagement to bridge gaps in understanding. By replicating bug communication through tactile vibrations, showcasing how bugs perceive the world through visual projections, and illustrating their roles through responsive visualizations. These exhibits encourage visitors to slow down, reflect, and share knowledge, fostering an appreciation for arthropods’ complexity and their vital roles in sustaining life.
SignalScape – Simulates the vibrational communication of bees and beetles. Utilizes tactile haptic
feedback and interactive projections.
VisionScape – Interactive projections demonstrate how arthropods perceive their environment using
ultraviolet sensitivity and compound vision.
TerraScape - Uses projection mapping and real-time data to illustrate how arthropods contribute to pollination,
predator-prey balance, and ecosystem stability. Visitors place bug-shaped models on the interactive table, triggering
real-time ecological visualizations.
Reflection
The Arthropod Odyssey redefines museum engagement by integrating innovative digital tools with interactive storytelling. By combining innovative technologies such as AR navigation, tactile sensory experiences, and interactive storytelling, this project bridges the gap between observation and engagement. It transforms visitor's understanding of arthropods from passive curiosity to active participation, sparking dialogue and curiosity about their interconnected roles within ecosystems. This project can serve as a blueprint for the future of interactive museum experiences, demonstrating how technology can deepen our understanding of the natural world.
