Project: Toledo Zoo Natural History Museum Introduction Panels
Year: 2019
Focus: Biodiversity, habitats, and wildlife education

Project Overview

In 2019, the Toledo Zoo opened its Natural History Museum, housed in a historic WPA-era building. The museum focuses on biodiversity and history, using dioramas, interactive elements, and immersive exhibits to engage visitors. I was commissioned to create a series of nine custom introduction panels to help divide and identify various sections of the museum.

Objective

The project required a unique combination of aesthetics and functionality. The key goals were:

• Wayfinding: Use distinct color palettes for each section to guide visitors through the museum’s exhibits.
• Design Style: Create a visual style that pays homage to classic National Parks posters while maintaining a fresh, modern look appropriate for the museum’s context.
• Informative Space: Ensure the illustrations complemented the museum’s messaging, leaving space for text to introduce each section clearly.

Concept and Inspiration

Inspired by the timeless appeal of vintage National Parks posters, I developed a design language that evoked the same nostalgic sense of exploration. Each illustration was tailored to reflect the essence of the exhibit it introduced, focusing on elements such as:

• Regional wildlife and natural habitats
• Historical themes intertwined with biodiversity
• Interactive education components to keep visitors engaged

Design Execution

• Color Palettes: Each panel featured a unique palette assigned by the museum to serve as a visual cue for wayfinding, helping visitors easily identify different sections.
• Illustration Style: The hand-drawn illustrations reflected the charm of WPA-era posters with bold shapes, soft textures, and simplified forms, creating a balance between vintage inspiration and modern design.
• Layout: I ensured that the illustrations provided enough negative space to allow for the museum’s text content, maintaining both aesthetic appeal and readability.

Result

The final series consisted of nine illustrated panels, each serving as a visual anchor for a specific area of the museum. The bold colors and vintage-inspired design helped set the tone for the visitor experience, inviting exploration while facilitating navigation through the exhibits. The introduction panels became not only practical wayfinding tools but also artistic elements that enriched the museum environment.