SEGD Love Stories – Aanya Arora

August 28, 2024

Aanya Arora

The 2024 SEGD Love Stories series is presented by Archetype.

When Aanya Met SEGD

June 2024

I’m leaping into the unknown. A RISD 2024 pin donning my chest, a small sign of the years I spent obtaining a Bachelor of Architecture. With an anchor of anticipation and apprehension heavy in my chest, I feel thrilled to have secured an internship at the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibits, eager to be in DC, with museums covering everything from tiny postage stamps to huge historical fossils. However, being in a new city with an unfamiliar environment, I feel a flicker of  uncertainty. Would I find like-minded people who shared my passion for design and creativity? Would I be able to establish the same kind of supportive network that had been so vital to me during my time at RISD?

I first heard about SEGD briefly during school, but like most opportunities back then, it was just another name in a sea of museums and exhibitions, something distant and abstract. But all of that changed when I learned about the Exhibition + Experience Design Summit at Planet Word as I settle into DC. It was perfect – meant to be. On a whim, I signed up, unsure of  what to expect. I walked into that summit with an open mind, but what I left with was so much more—a life-changing experience.

Surrounded by the familiar murmurs of a language I know all too well, a supreme form of storytelling: design. Every lecture, every conversation, added fuel to a fire that I hadn’t realized was smoldering inside me, spitting and craving more. The industry professionals sharing their insights on how museums are engaging users in new and innovative ways breaking barriers that I hadn’t even considered. The design workshop on the second day of the event was a powerful collaboration with industry professionals, tackling new problems and brainstorming ways to experience design outside the walls of the museum. Feeling the warm and familiar spark of excitement within me as I watch the powerful collaboration of industry professionals, tackling new problems and reimagining experience design. 

I dedicated my architectural thesis to how designers can salvage materials to create new architectural components in a sustainable act to reduce waste – ideas akin to SEGD. This passion for sustainably lived within me separate from my love for exhibit design. However, after witnessing the commitment to creating designs at the summit that not only tell stories but also respect and preserve our planet, I felt an unexpected amalgamation of the two passions form. Where sustainable design is not a trend; it’s a necessary evolution in our field. An evolution I am committed to being a part of.

I was “head over heels” for the close-knit sense of community at the SEGD group. Having the opportunity to have conversations rich with insights and perspectives broadening my understanding of our field’s capacity to change the world. And then there are the young designers—people like me with a hopeful gleam of ideas fated to change reality. Hearing their stories, learning about their post-grad experiences, and sharing our challenges and triumphs was incredibly grounding. Making me feel like I wasn’t alone in this journey; there is a network of support and inspiration out there.

Something shifted in me. I don’t  want to be a passive participant in this world; I want to be involved, to contribute, to be a part of something bigger – to become more involved with SEGD. 

August 2024

Today, I’m actively helping the Museum Exhibition and Experience Design Professional Practice Group as the Manager of Operations and collaborating with the DC Chapter on new activities and initiatives. I’ve found my place – in a community of kindred spirits who share my passions.

I am grateful to be a part of the SEGD community. The work that Cybelle, Jennette, Liz, Mark, Nadia, and Melissa put into organizing the SEGD Experience conference has been nothing short of extraordinary. You created a space where people like me—new to the field but full of passion—could find inspiration, connections, and a sense of belonging. I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of SEGD, and I’m excited about the future we’re all creating together!

Safe to say, I’m not leaping into the unknown alone anymore.

Aanya is an interdisciplinary designer who specializes in architecture, experiences and storytelling. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with a concentration in Nature Culture and Sustainability Studies. She has previously worked at the RISD Museum and recently moved to DC where she will be working at the Smithsonian Travelling Exhibits Department. In her free time Aanya enjoys watercolor sketching and experimenting with new vegetarian recipes. For more about Aanya and her work visit aanyaarora.com. 

If you would like to share your SEGD Love Story, click the link below. We’ll highlight a range of SEGD member stories on our website and in our weekly newsletter throughout the year. The 2024 SEGD Love Stories series is presented by Archetype.