EMP wanted a design treatment to provide meaningful context for a 2,500-square-foot traveling exhibit focusing on the first decade of Bob Dylan’s career. The exhibit needed to appeal to a wide audience. To draw visitors in and afford previews into the initial gallery, a commanding photo mural and transparent walls with Dylan lyrics were created to replace an uninviting exterior. Interior displays were to be presented chronologically, but open-endedness was also desired. Shared audiovisual experiences, flexible artifact systems and user-friendly displays were also priorities. To achieve these goals, striking visual prospects were designed to pull visitors from one perimeter area to the next, while central multiuser audiovisual spaces provide refuge. Floor cases were designed with angled tops and flexible mounting grids to accommodate artifact changes and easier reading. Atypical materials with integrated graphics were used to evoke settings and foster a sense of wonder, leading to immersion. Iron ore serves as a dramatic backdrop to the story of Dylan’s mining-town origins. Tactile suede and concrete lend playful context to Urban Folk Revival sections. Black leather marks the point in Dylan’s life when he donned a leather jacket, plugged in and became a rock star.

By respecting objectives as well as creativity, the highly collaborative project team was able to produce EMP’s most popular, critically acclaimed and successful exhibit to date.