Native New York introduces visitors to twelve Native nations that call New York home. The exhibition design solved two challenges: (1) each nation has its own unique stories that shape who they are today, and (2) each nation has its own timeline of events. This made it impossible to use a singular chronological structure.

We worked with the curators and media developers to turn the exhibit into a self-guided tour through New York’s tribal nations. Using a pathway on the floor as an organizing element, visitors travel geographically through the state to understand Native Americans’ impact through time in our shared history. The design and storytelling weave broader themes of displacement and resilience through the exhibit.

Because the exhibit targets middle school and international visitors, we used varied storytelling devices, including comic book and graphic novel-style illustrations, animated media projections, and lenticular murals that show the land as it was hundreds of years ago and what it looks like today.