Stories of Change

• Finalist 2025 

Stories of Change is a contemporary and interactive reimagining of the Royal Australian Mint’s gallery and exhibition space for future generations. Designed to engage, educate,
and inspire visitors of all ages and interests – coin enthusiasts, kids, families, and tourists alike – this modern, digital-driven overhaul features six bespoke digital installations that
showcase Australia’s coinage history, the art and design of coins, and the minting process in an accessible and engaging way.

Agency

Junior Major

Practice Area

• Exhibition 

Client

Royal Australian Mint

Industry

• Museums 

The exhibition is broken down into seven sections:

Trading Ways: Long before the currency we use today, First Nations communities across Australia used a complex trade system that expanded across the continent. ‘Trading Ways’ tells this story, and is the first thing visitors see at the entrance of the exhibition. Developed in collaboration with Studio Gilay, and in consultation with Ngunnawal Elders, we created an immersive audio visual animated projection that reimagines Indigenous trading routes in an ethereal, abstract and beautiful way. Hyper-realistic 3D shells, weapons, fibers and seeds float through contoured ridges, valleys and waterways of Country to reveal intersections of trade routes, along with a lush soundscape.

History Blades: Provide visitors with an up-close experience of some of the collection’s rarest and most fascinating coins. Using high-resolution photography, these coins have been meticulously scanned and transformed into dynamic 3D models. Visitors can spin, zoom and interact with the coins, uncovering their unique features, rich history, and intricate visual details.

Design Your Coin: Touchscreen interactive allows visitors to design their own coin. Choose your preferred metal, select a shape, and customise it with stencils featuring flora, fauna, graphic patterns, and artwork sourced from the ‘Trading Ways’ interactive. Once complete, send your creation to the projection display for everyone to see.

Change Maker: This brightly coloured interactive invites visitors to experience the diverse skills required in coin-making in a fun and tactile way. Featuring five mechanical stations in front of large format screens, the mini-games challenge visitors to trace, apply pressure, etch, solve puzzles and spot defects with the same accuracy demanded of the experts on the factory floor, visible just across the way. These sticky, hands-on activities celebrate the craftsmanship and dedication behind Australia’s coins.

Living Change: Celebrates an impressive milestone for the Mint: the production of more than 15 billion circulating coins since the introduction of decimal currency in 1966. This installation features a large-scale digital wall that provides an interactive experience for visitors exiting the Royal Australian Mint exhibition. As you move, the wall responds with a dynamic cloud of points representing those 15 billion coins, which morphs around your silhouette. The installation aims to blend simplicity with striking visual impact, resulting in a playful yet enlightening experience for visitors, exploring the history and future of coins.

Coin Fall: Standing four metres tall, this commanding art piece captivates visitors in the Mint’s foyer. Made from physical ‘flip dots,’ it combines mechanical movement with digital precision, creating a dynamic surface where coins cascade down in mesmerizing patterns. The artwork produces subtle, rhythmic sounds as the dots flip, adding an auditory layer to the experience. Designed to be low-power and highly efficient, this innovative installation was especially commissioned to celebrate the intersection of craft, technology and the beauty of currency.

Stories of Change Coin Wall: the wall invites visitors to explore Australia’s circulating coins with a hands-on experience. Featuring over 12,500 coins, the wall showcases hundreds
of designs minted since 1965 and enables visitors to touch or take a rubbing of their favorite designs. At almost 15 metres long, this exhibit frames the gallery experience and has
fast become a crowd favorite.