African American Museum Dallas
Project Type
Environment
Overview
The African American Museum, Dallas, has long set the national standard for African American museum practice. As part of its continued commitment to cultural stewardship, the Museum began developing an in-house Conservation Laboratory focused on preserving, restoring, and documenting African American cultural heritage objects for future generations.
To introduce this new initiative, the Museum launched an exhibit themed “Protecting Cultural Memory,” highlighting the work of the inaugural cohort of student interns participating in its pilot conservation program.
The Museum partnered with Simmons Design Associates to translate this vision into a compelling environmental and digital experience.
Challenge
Create an exhibit that clearly explains the Conservation Lab’s purpose, highlights student contributions, and visually expresses the themes of Conservation, Preservation, and Restoration while aligning with the Museum’s brand.
Approach
SDA developed a unified visual system inspired by the Museum’s identity, designing large-scale environmental panels and a supporting digital campaign. The content and visuals were crafted to make complex conservation work accessible, engaging, and mission-driven.
Solution
Here’s what SDA developed:
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Large-scale exhibit graphics that anchor the space
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A custom color system tied to the Museum’s brand
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Clear, educational messaging about conservation practices
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Digital storytelling that extends the exhibit experience online
Impact
The final installation delivered an immersive, cohesive experience that elevated awareness of the Museum’s conservation efforts, celebrated the interns’ work, and reinforced the mission of Protecting Cultural Memory for future generations.
