Cooper Hewitt Experience
Transforming the visitor from a passive observer into an active designer.
Overview
Most museums are built for looking. The Cooper Hewitt wanted to be built for making. We reinvented the visitor experience by replacing the traditional audio guide with "The Pen"—a networked device given to every guest upon entry. The Pen allows visitors to "collect" any object in the museum simply by tapping the glass, curating a personal digital treasure box. But it goes further: by turning the galleries into active studios where visitors can draw, build, and play, we proved that the best way to understand design is to participate in the process.
Partners
General Electric + Undercurrent, Pentagram, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Goppion, D&P Museum Exhibition Media and Computer Integration, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP
Services
Experience Design, Media Design, Media & Software Development
“The museum of the future is here.”
The Details
The Pen activates the entire building, acting as a key that unlocks creativity. In the Immersion Room, visitors don't just look at historical wallpaper; they draw their own patterns and watch them explode across floor-to-ceiling projections. In the galleries, "Gesture Match" technology lets users search the collection by drawing a shape or striking a pose. The impact extended far beyond the exit doors: 30% of visitors logged into their personal website after their visit to view their collection and continue designing—a level of post-visit engagement unheard of in the museum world.
“It's a giant curiosity machine.”
