The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Understanding the evolution of the human species by examining fossil evidence in the Hall of Human Origins.
Sector:
Museum
Location:
Washington, DC, USA
Year:
2010
Services:
3D Animation, 3D Modelling, Art Direction, Copywriting, Editing, Immersive Media, Interactive Media, Media Design, Media Planning, Sound Design.
Description:
On March 17, 2010, the Museum marked its 100th anniversary on the National Mall with the public opening of its newest exhibition hall – the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins. This exhibition is based on decades of cutting-edge research by Smithsonian scientists, and is the result of an international collaboration with over 100 researchers from around the world. The Hall of Human Origins offers visitors an immersive, interactive journey through 6 million years of scientific evidence for human origins and the stories of survival and extinction in our family tree during times of dramatic climate instability.
“The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins uses Smithsonian science as a foundation to help appreciate our own unique development as human beings,” said Cristián Samper, director of the Museum. “The opening of this hall represents one of the most significant public and scientific achievements in the 100-year history of the museum. Our goal is to provide visitors and online guests with an exciting educational experience that will encourage them to explore for themselves the scientific discoveries about what it means to be human.”
On entering the 15,000-square-foot Hall of Human Origins exhibition from the Sant Ocean Hall, travel back through time through a time tunnel depicting life and environmental change over the past 6 million years, in a 10 minute movie designed and produced by The Design Foundation, which depicts all major human species as we move back in time. Connect with your distant ancestors at the Hall’s life-size forensically reconstructed faces of early human species and learn about major milestones in the origins of human beings. The Design Foundation played a significant role in producing a 3D computer generated, scientifically accurate skull of Sahelanthropus tchadensis which now sits with other authentic skull artefacts, and is the only one displayed worldwide.
The Design Foundation was instrumental in the design of all media, and the production of two introductory 10 minute movies at either entrance to the exhibit space, the 3D modelling and print of Sahelanthropus tchadensis skull, and nine 3D computer generated hominid models for an interactive game, and other print and digital media instalments.