Taylor Studios Finishes Design and Fabrication on New Exhibits at Wickiup Hill Learning Center
Joe Kleiman
Rantoul, IL, USA — Taylor Studios recently finished designing and fabricating new interpretive exhibits for the Wickiup Hill Learning Center in Linn County, IA. Installation is nearing completion and a grand opening will take place the second week in April.
The entire visitor experience is based on a children’s story, written by Taylor Studios, that takes the visitor on a journey through time. Immersive environments reflect locations in the story putting the visitor in the center of the action. In one chapter, for instance, the kids discover a magnifying glass with a mysterious inscription. Upon reciting it, they are shrunk down to the size of a green frog! Entering this space, the visitor walks through a portal created by an oversized magnifying glass tipped on its side. A storybook station housing the physical storybook and chapter for this area is located nearby.
A climbable green frog model is centrally located. Off to one side, an oversized water shield flower, among dimensional horse tails reaching to the ceiling, blends into a colorful mural that fills out the scene and completes the magnified experience. Using this unique perspective, visitors learn the important functions of wetlands and excitement to explore nature more on their own is generated.
When asked about what made this project so interesting, project manager, Jack Sturm, answered, “The most unique aspect of this job was the way in which telling the history of the area was approached. By first creating a storybook and then bringing the characters and their adventures to life it allows children to virtually step into the story. Rather than just reading about history & nature they are becoming part of it. What child hasn’t wanted to step into their favorite book?”
Since 1991, Taylor Studios has been planning, designing, and fabricating exhibits for clients across the United States and internationally. Their team, which is comprised of project managers, full-time certified interpretive planners, graphic designers, exhibit designers, and highly skilled fabricators, has the experience and talent to produce exhibits of the highest quality. They are the first and only exhibit design and fabrication company to back their work with a five-year warranty. In 2000, Inc. Magazine named Taylor Studios among the 500 fastest growing companies in America. In 2007 and 2009, they were listed among the 5000 fastest growing companies. This growth can be attributed to their outstanding quality and their ability to complete projects on time and within budget.
