Native New York

“Native New York” the newest long-term exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum in New York explores the question “Who are real Native New Yorkers?” Following a 400-mile path across five centuries, the exhibition uses objects, media, interactives and graphic novel illustrations to demonstrate how New York is and always has been a Native place.

Agency

C&G Partners

Practice Area

Client

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian

Industry

The Challenge

As Native American histories and cultures are still affected by inaccuracy and stereotyping, it was critical that the exhibition offer more accurate stories of the past and reflect how history impacts contemporary Native people today. Although the exhibition was designed for all ages, the content and experiences had to have a special emphasis on local students and meet New York state curriculum standards. Everything — from the spacing of the galleries, to the graphic style, to the use of animated motion had to be designed with this audience in mind.

Project Vision

Through immersive environments, graphics, and first-person accounts, “Native New York” had to show visitors that the story is far more complex and compelling than outdated myths. The studio acted as lead designers alongside the Museum’s own team of curators, historians, collections specialists, AV, and facilities staff.

A graphic-novel theme exists at all levels from individual interpretive-panels to entire exhibit stations and to all the surfaces and walls throughout the entire project.

C&G Partners

Through the Museum, custom illustrations throughout the exhibit were commissioned from Native graphic novel creators, often paired with hands-on touchable elements.

C&G Partners

The exhibition follows a 400-mile path across five centuries. It shows us that New York is—and always has been—a Native place.

C&G Partners

Unusual techniques include projections that are double-sided, shows mapped as “magic paintings” onto sculptural picture frames, and gesture-activated digital experiences.

C&G Partners

Design + Execution

The organizing principle of the experience is unique, neither chronological nor thematic. It follows a literal trail, hundreds of miles long, through New York State and New York City: at one end, the Hamptons in Eastern Long Island; at the other, Niagara Falls in far Western New York. Along the way, a dozen stories touch on five centuries of history. Each stop teaches the history behind common myths, blending Native objects with interactive media, all wrapped in theatrical design techniques. The media in the exhibition does not appear to be media, going beyond screens to build an immersive feeling.

Custom illustrations throughout the exhibit were commissioned from Native graphic novel creators, often paired with hands-on touchable elements drawn from each story. The legendarily fearsome Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team plays a key role in the experience. The game of lacrosse, played today by non-Native and Native players alike throughout the world, originated as an important cultural practice for Native people in what is today New York State.

The organizing principle of the experience is unique, neither chronological nor thematic. It follows a literal trail, hundreds of miles long, through New York State.

C&G Partners

The media in the exhibition does not appear to be media, going beyond screens to build an immersive feeling.

C&G Partners

The legendarily fearsome Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team plays a key role in the experience.

C&G Partners

C&G Partners

  1. As Native American histories are still affected by inaccuracy and stereotyping, it was critical to offer more accurate stories of the past and present.

    C&G Partners

  2. A graphic-novel theme exists at all levels from individual interpretive-panels to entire exhibit stations and to all the surfaces and walls throughout the entire project.

    C&G Partners

  3. Through the Museum, custom illustrations throughout the exhibit were commissioned from Native graphic novel creators, often paired with hands-on touchable elements.

    C&G Partners

  4. The exhibition follows a 400-mile path across five centuries. It shows us that New York is—and always has been—a Native place.

    C&G Partners

  5. Unusual techniques include projections that are double-sided, shows mapped as “magic paintings” onto sculptural picture frames, and gesture-activated digital experiences.

    C&G Partners

  6. The organizing principle of the experience is unique, neither chronological nor thematic. It follows a literal trail, hundreds of miles long, through New York State.

    C&G Partners

Project Details
This exhibition brings untold history to life with an important hyper-focus on engaging students. The walking graphic novel concept results in an experience that is engaging for the visitors, and works towards dismantling inaccurate and harmful stereotypes about Native Americans.
Juror 1
We felt that this project does an incredible job of engaging kids and teens by putting them into a graphic novel. The combination of tactile, digital, and physical elements all work to engage a tough audience with content that feels fresh, accessible, and current.
Juror 2
Design Team

Jonathan Alger (partner in charge)
Dan Fouad (lead 3d designer)
Kevin Sayama (lead exhibit designer)
Daniel Rodriguez (lead experience designer)
Christian Montoro (senior graphic designer)
Calista Bohling (graphics and media designer)
Bruce Chao (media and graphics designer)
Rui Li (media designer)
Kris Li (3d design)
Daniel Steps (3d design)
Laura Grady (lead producer)
Shuyler Nazareth (technical producer)
Alex Kelly (senior producer)
Sehba Mohammad (marketing)

Collaborators

Ewing Cole (architecture)
Hadley Exhibits, Inc (physical fabrication)
Phase Shift (av media consultants)
Diversified (av integrator)
Available Light (lighting designers)
Jeff Nash Lighting (lighting designers)
GHD (security consultants)

Photo Credits

C&G Partners (photography, videography)
redfitz (videographer)

Open Date

October 2021