Reimagining how we experience history
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) set a new bar for immersive storytelling when it opened, bringing Lincoln’s life to audiences through light, sound, and emotion. Two decades later, the museum wanted to lead once again, this time with an immersive educational app experience, enriched with augmented reality. The museum’s leadership was driven to bring the experience into the present day: more inclusive, more reflective, and more engaging.
Partnering with Google Public Sector, our mission was clear:
Create an AR enhanced experience that brings history to life and inspires visitors to explore and experience the legacy of Lincoln, making learning engaging and unforgettable.
As the lead designer, partnered with my fantastic team of UX, tech, and product folks, I helped define the north star for what this new experience could be. Our success hinged on aligning diverse stakeholders around a shared vision, demonstrating the potential of AR, and securing confidence to move into delivery.
Working closely with museum leadership, I guided discovery research, facilitated co-ideation sessions, and led creative storytelling that helped non-technical stakeholders not only understand, but experience, the potential of emerging technology in a cultural context.
From Insight to Inspiration
Our research revealed that visitors crave agency, connection, and reflection. We identified that technology should amplify engagement, not dramatize it. These insights guided our concept development and ensured every idea provided authentic value to both the museum and its visitors.
To communicate these ideas, I co-created a tactile, immersive presentation that reimagined our final share-out as "a museum tour of the future." Using an oversized foam-core iPhone with interchangeable and transparent “screens,” we let stakeholders experience AR concepts in context. The excitement was palpable; what could have been a slide deck presentation became a shared moment of discovery.
The result was a major milestone: museum leadership approved a one-year delivery contract to bring the experience to life. Just as importantly, it sparked an internal shift—seeing technology not as a distraction from history, but as a bridge to make it more personal and alive.
This engagement reaffirmed my belief that great design can foster connection beyond the screen. By blending empathy, imagination, and strategic storytelling, we helped ALPLM take its first step into a new era of interactive learning and cultural relevance.
Our research revealed that visitors crave agency, connection, and reflection. We identified that technology should amplify engagement, not dramatize it. These insights guided our concept development and ensured every idea provided authentic value to both the museum and its visitors.
To communicate these ideas, I co-created a tactile, immersive presentation that reimagined our final share-out as "a museum tour of the future." Using an oversized foam-core iPhone with interchangeable and transparent “screens,” we let stakeholders experience AR concepts in context. The excitement was palpable; what could have been a slide deck presentation became a shared moment of discovery.
The result was a major milestone: museum leadership approved a one-year delivery contract to bring the experience to life. Just as importantly, it sparked an internal shift—seeing technology not as a distraction from history, but as a bridge to make it more personal and alive.
This engagement reaffirmed my belief that great design can foster connection beyond the screen. By blending empathy, imagination, and strategic storytelling, we helped ALPLM take its first step into a new era of interactive learning and cultural relevance.
Our research revealed that visitors crave agency, connection, and reflection. We identified that technology should amplify engagement, not dramatize it. These insights guided our concept development and ensured every idea provided authentic value to both the museum and its visitors.
To communicate these ideas, I co-created a tactile, immersive presentation that reimagined our final share-out as "a museum tour of the future." Using an oversized foam-core iPhone with interchangeable and transparent “screens,” we let stakeholders experience AR concepts in context. The excitement was palpable; what could have been a slide deck presentation became a shared moment of discovery.
The result was a major milestone: museum leadership approved a one-year delivery contract to bring the experience to life. Just as importantly, it sparked an internal shift—seeing technology not as a distraction from history, but as a bridge to make it more personal and alive.
This engagement reaffirmed my belief that great design can foster connection beyond the screen. By blending empathy, imagination, and strategic storytelling, we helped ALPLM take its first step into a new era of interactive learning and cultural relevance.
