Museum Exhibits &
Cultural Storytelling
I’ve had the honor of contributing to museum exhibits and cultural experiences since 2010, at places like the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Tryon Palace, the MCRD San Diego Museum, the USS Lexington, and the San Diego Zoo. Please see below for some of my most recent projects.
Panda Ridge | San Diego Zoo
A state-of-the-art home for giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo, Panda Ridge encompasses two large habitats inspired by iconic Chinese landscapes. Working in collaboration with graphic designers, wildlife care specialists, the operations team, guest services, and other experts, to make this vision a reality, I researched and wrote 30 brand new storytelling panels for zoo guests.
As guests experience giant pandas at the zoo, they learn not only about the natural history of giant pandas but also about their unique home, conservation status, and what we can all do to help giant pandas thrive.
Organization
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Year
2024
Enlisted Force: Foundation of Air and Space Power |
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
This permanent exhibit tells the impressive story of the the highly-skilled, trained, and talented enlisted force that has been the foundation for the daily operations of the Department of the Air Force since its very beginnings.
The highly collaborative effort took three years to create and features nearly 50 sections spread throughout 10 galleries across four museum buildings. I served as the lead content curator for this exhibit, researching and writing the majority of the panels, and selecting images and artifacts to showcase their remarkable stories. I worked with colleagues from collections management, exhibit design, research, operations, executive leadership, and many internal and external stakeholders to accomplish this herculean effort.
Click on the links to each section here or scroll through some of the exhibit images below.
Organization
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Year
2023
Hippo Beach | San Diego Zoo
One of the San Diego Zoo’s most popular habitats, Hippo Beach, underwent a major update in 2024. Working collaboratively with teams from wildlife care, horticulture, operations, and design, I researched and wrote 15 storytelling panels to educate and inspire guests as they experience hippos up close under the water and from above on the beach.
In addition to natural history, panels explore the interconnected relationships between hippos, the rivers they inhabit, and wildlife who share their ecosystem.
Organization
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Year
2024
U.S. Department of the Air Force 75th Anniversary Exhibit |
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
“Innovate, Accelerate, Thrive: Celebrating the US Department of the Air Force at 75” honored and celebrated 75 years of history and innovation at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.
This temporary photo and video exhibit featured 36 panels that each featured a significant milestone in the history and evolution of the Air Force and Space Force. From the first U.S. military airplane to artificial intelligence and space-based solar power, the exhibit featured an astonishing evolution in technology. The exhibit also featured major cultural evolutions such as equal opportunity employment, women in leadership, and transgender inclusion.
Organization
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Year
2022
A Force for Good |
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
“A Force For Good: U.S. Department of the Air Force Humanitarian Missions” showcases the U.S. Air Force’s long history of providing support to people and communities in distress, both domestically and internationally. I served as a contributing content curator on a collaborative team to help research, write, and edit content for this permanent, interactive exhibit. To help tell the story of the highly dynamic humanitarian work the men and women of the Air Force offer, the exhibit includes diving equipment used during a cave rescue in Thailand, firefighting tools used to combat wildfires in Alaska, and a fully-assembled Transport Isolation System used to care for critically ill patients during aeromedical transport. See more here.
Organization
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Year
2022