The Franklin Institute’s Wondrous Space exhibit received the Illumination Award for Experiential Lighting Design at the 52nd annual Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Illumination Awards. This new award category recognizes projects that utilize lighting design as a form of art in immersive spaces.
Wondrous Space opened its doors in November 2023, taking museumgoers on a two-story intergalactic journey complete with an International Space Station, Asteroid Alley and a Gravity Well. To bring this experience to life, EXP lighting designers navigated existing infrastructure and installed dynamic color-changing LED technology programmed to respond to guest interaction. Colorful lights and scenic elements emphasize the space artifacts and technological advancements on display. The overall project demonstrates the relationship between light, darkness and color in a sensory-rich arena of discovery and imagination.
“Our creative partners at The Franklin Institute generated a captivating narrative about space exploration — it is future forward and an example of the power of storytelling through immersive design,” EXP Lighting Designer Madison DiAddezio said. “The design team created a space that is not only artistic and creative but meant to fuel curiosity and learning. It has been so rewarding to receive positive feedback from the public, as well as this award for thematic projects.”
The Franklin Institute is one of the oldest centers of science instruction in the country, inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s pursuit of knowledge. EXP is proud to contribute our lighting design services to an organization with deep roots in education and inquiry.
Read more about the IES Illumination Awards and EXP’s full range of Lighting Design services.