Tillamook Creamery Visitor Experience

Practice Area

Client

Tillamook County Creamery Association

Industry

  1. From farm to factory to you – the Tillamook Creamery Visitor’s Center brings the brand’s customer commitment to life with rich storytelling and interactive exhibits.

  2. A 30 ft tall Tillamook Jersey cow greets the 1.3 million guests that visit the Creamery every year.

  3. Visitors are enticed to explore Tillamook ‘s 110-year timeline, showcasing 30-ft tall photos of farmers past and present, or follow the floating cheese sculpture to the second floor exhibits.

  4. The exhibit bridge showcases six large-scale illuminated cases that serve to celebrate the important role of Tillamook’s dairy farmers and Creamery workers.

  5. Farm-inspired materials and real-world tools help authenticate the “On the farm” experience with honest storytelling and hands-on exhibits.

  6. Visitors of all ages learn what life is like on a Tillamook farm by participating in interactive activities such as feeding a calf, identifying dairy breeds, or milking a cow.

  7. The viewing gallery offers a look into the real-life cheesemaking process. Illustrations and bold graphics help visitors understand what each cheesemaker is doing in the workspace below.

  8. A playful installation of milk buckets with moveable storytelling components cements the connection between the Tillamook production cycle, commitment to quality, and the customer experience.

Project Vision

Tillamook Creamery Association wanted to create an updated visitor experience at their popular creamery and tasting room for the over 1.3 million tourists they see each year. Working with copywriters, illustrators and photographers, Studio SC developed a visual storytelling approach that nods at Tillamook’s 110-year history while also focusing on the modern dairy industry.

Life-size photography, informative custom illustrations, and playful interactive exhibits immerse visitors in the “Tillamook Way.” An image of a Jersey cow greets visitors. Entering into the space, 30-foot-tall photos representing Tillamook’s past and present reinforce the company’s historic timeline, drawing visitors toward the café and to one of the favorite photo opportunities: the Tillamook Yum Bus.

The second-floor exhibits include nine-foot tall illuminated cases that highlight the important roles of both the dairy farmers and the Creamery workers. An “On the Farm” exhibit utilizes large format photography and farm-based materials to showcase real artifacts and stories from local farmers.

Several interactive features enhance the experience, including a calf feeding area and cow milking station. The “Viewing Gallery” gives visitors an informative look at how cheese is made and packaged; custom illustrations and infographics help explain every step of the process. Finally, the “Cheese Tasting” room features an interactive, milk-bucket display that emphasizes the important role that customers play in creating new and innovative products and in driving the brand’s success.

Project Details
Design Team

Olson Kundig | Tom Kundig FAIA RIBA, Alan Maskin (design principals); Marlene Chen (project manager); Ming-Lee Yuan AIA (project architect); Daniel Renner, Jerome Tryon and Phil Turner, (architectural staff)Studio SC | Billy Chen (design director), Mark Sanders (project director), Christina Sakura (senior designer)

Project Area

42,800 sq ft

Consultants

Precision Construction (general contractor); Rand Associates, Ellipse Studio (content development); Lovett Design, Owen Davey (illustrators); Niteo (lighting)

Fabricators

Formations, Inc. (fabrication and installation)