Better by Design

Designing the American Museum in Britain’s new American Heritage visitor zone has been a voyage of discovery for Headland Design Associates. The Chester based museum design consultancy began their work with the museum by developing and coordinating a successful HLF bid. The team have since been briefed with making the museum’s extensive decorative arts collection more accessible to a wider public via the brand new ‘American Heritage’ exhibition project.

The museum near Bath, has already undergone some significant building work to make the basement level which houses the American Heritage permanent exhibition, accessible to all visitors. The recent design project has been concerned with refurbishing the former dark and gloomy space with new interactive and tactile displays incorporating key elements from the collection. They have cleverly embraced, sound, film and handling exhibits as well as costume for children and an interactive quilt design exhibit.

Originally, the cellar of an elegant Georgian house, the below floor spaces are compartmentalised, with barrel-vaulted ceilings and some original features like wine stores. Headland Design has used every trick in the book to open these spaces out: minimal detailing, a limited colour palette and carefully housed lighting as well as backlit graphics. Large landscape images have been used to open vistas, create a spacious sense of space and discovery.

“The design team feel like they have visited America’s past and learnt so much about people’s beliefs and experience there” said Headland’s Director Rosemary Allen. “There has been so much to convey in a relatively small space. The show’s first priority has been to make the voices of individual American’s heard and show how their spirit and attitudes have influenced the decorative art that they produced”

The new exhibition space is intended to give the visitors a real taste of what has made America what it is today. It provides some context within which the historic room sets and museum displays held in the main body of the museum, can be better understood and enjoyed. Spanning Black America and the Civil War to George Washington and Marilyn, the innovative new American Heritage permanent exhibition area opens in April. The forward thinking creative vision has aimed to illustrate the journey of the development of America and its culture from colonial days (over 10 hi-tech, interactive galleries) This new tactile and bright visitor zone adds a new dimension to bring the stories of America to life. The U.S. Ambassador, the Hon. Robert Tuttle will officially launch the exhibition on April 24th.

Further information on the exhibition can be found on the American Museum in Britain’s website at americanmuseum.org or by calling the museum at 01225 460503.

Rosemary Allen, Director of Headland Design Associates and Sandra Barghini, Director of The American Museum in Britain are both available for Interview. Images available on request. To attend the launch evening, accommodation can be arranged on request.