2025

Seaphony Museum Exhibit

Exhibition Design

Motion

“Seaphony: Ensembles of the Ocean” is a fictional Smithsonian exhibit concept inspired by the museum's ocean-focused initiatives, including the Sant Ocean Hall and Smithsonian Ocean. It explores the hidden soundscapes of the ocean using hydrophone recordings, transforming scientific data into an engaging, immersive experience.

Focusing on sound-producing marine life such as corals, shrimp, crabs, and whales, the exhibit highlights the ocean as a dynamic acoustic environment.

Style Exploration

These comps explore three stylistic directions: an experimental, immersive photographic approach using digital screens and underwater imagery; an illustrative concept inspired by musical notation and the idea of a marine “ensemble”; and a final hybrid that combines elements of both.

In the end, I chose the digital direction for its accuracy to the idea of "living data", while incorporating the “wave” from the second comp. Depth, audio-like linework, and a cyan-blue palette are all used to create an underwater feel.

Final System

Entrance Banners

Indoor LED Screen

Tickets & Sticker Sheet

Where to next?

Where to next?

Get in touch!

contact@emilycoolbaugh.com