Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
Education
What We Made
Design
Creative Direction
Tags
Challenge
The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center needed new exhibit graphics that could expand on existing experiences without feeling disconnected from the rest of the space. Working alongside BrownKnows Design, we had to balance new educational content with an established visual system already familiar to visitors. The challenge was creating something fresh while making it feel like it had always belonged.
Concept
Using the Nature Center’s existing colors and typography, we designed a series of new exhibit elements that blended seamlessly into the environment. From illustrated dioramas and educational panels to an interactive prairie mural with magnetic pollinators, each piece was created to encourage curiosity and hands-on learning.
Outcome
The finished exhibits add new layers of discovery while maintaining a consistent experience for visitors. The updated graphics help bring wildlife, habitats, and local ecosystems to life in ways that are both engaging and approachable. Most importantly, they strengthen the Nature Center’s mission of connecting people with the natural world around them. The result is a collection of graphics that support the stories already being told throughout the center.
Antlers or Horns
Deer are an abundant species in the Midwest with around 6-7 million does and bucks scattering the region. This part of the exhibit invites kids to learn about the life cycle of an antler, how to look for signs of white tailed deer, and discover the difference between antlers and horns with real life examples.
What they said and how they felt
What they said and how they felt
To Bee or Not to Bee
An important part to every ecosystem's success are its pollinators. Iowa's landscape consists of many vast prairies that are home to such pollinators including butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, caterpillars, beetles, flies, and hummingbirds. To capture this diverse landscape, we created a custom mural wall mixing different flora and fauna into one cohesive image. Magnets with different pollinators can be moved and placed on the mural as kids to learn about their importance to the ecosystem.
What they said and how they felt
What they said and how they felt
Hide and Seek
A key part of a creating an interactive exhibit was creating the seek and find illustrations and graphics for the different dioramas. The dioramas themselves are built with real plants, animals, and materials so kids can know exactly what to look for out in the wild.
What they said and how they felt
What they said and how they felt
What they said and how they felt
What they said and how they felt
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