BRC’s Re-Invention of Museum Visitor Experience Continues to Receive Rave Reviews
ORLANDO — Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, a political and social history museum in Baton Rouge, has been named to receive a Thea Award for Best Cultural Heritage Attraction on a Limited Budget. The award will be presented in March 2012 for the “Ghost of the Castle” full-immersion theater presentation that serves as a focal point of the Capitol’s visitor experience. It follows numerous accolades the museum has received in the last year, including the 2011 Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) and an Award of Excellence from the Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC).
Working with BRC Imagination Arts, in July 2010 the Old State Capitol unveiled a new visitor experience with a number of dynamic galleries and revived public spaces, including the wildly popular “Ghost of the Castle”, a magical theater experience where visitors come face to face with the ghost of Sarah Morgan, an authentic Civil War-era figure who loved the castle from the day it was built, and “The Legacy of Huey Long,” a series of galleries that plunge guests into the controversial political legacy of this famed politician.
Awarded by the TEA, a non-profit association representing the world’s leading creators, developers, designers, and producers of compelling places and experiences, the annual Thea Awards are considered the industry’s highest award, each recognizing achievement, talent, and personal excellence within the themed entertainment and experience design industry worldwide. This year’s award recipients will be honored at the annual Thea Awards Gala taking place in March 2012.
The announcement of the Thea Award is the latest recognition BRC has received for its success in helping museums and cultural institutions transform educational content into engaging and meaningful visitor experiences. In addition to recently celebrating the opening of BRC-designed Museum of Liverpool, the company has also been selected to spearhead the re-design of the San Diego Air and Space Museum as well as the re-invention of the Waukesha County Museum and its new Les Paul exhibit.
World renowned for the design and creation of innovative and world-class museums, immersive branded attractions, visitor centers and world expo pavilions, BRC’s Cultural Experiences portfolio includes a diverse range of organizations, including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Empire State Building, Chicago’s Adler Planetarium, Arizona Science Center, NASA, and the Texas State History Museum, among many.
Since its founding in 1981, BRC has been honored with over 275 international awards for creative excellence including two Academy Award nominations and 18 Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement for its museum exhibits and visitor attractions. BRC has offices in California, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and China and is currently engaged in projects in the United States, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.brcweb.com.