Anderson-Abruzzo International
Balloon Museum

A multi-surface system translating archival content into interactive exploration of hot air ballooning

INTERACTIVE DESIGN — SYSTEM DESIGN — MUSEUM INSTALLATION

Context

The museum required a system to present archival content across large-scale interactive displays, balancing accessibility with the complexity of historical material.

Existing formats limited engagement, with static displays failing to support exploration across physical space.

Problem

• Archival content lacked structure for interaction

• No cohesive system across display surfaces

• Interfaces disconnected from spatial experience

• Accessibility required across varied users and familiarity levels

Approach

System over surface

Built a unified framework connecting content, interface, and environment across
all displays

Interaction as navigation

Designed interaction as the primary method of exploration, reducing reliance on traditional UI

Scalable architecture

Established a system adaptable across installations, audiences, and evolving content

Execution

System Overview

A unified interaction system designed to connect archival content, interface behavior, and physical space across multiple display surfaces.

Two women and a man are having a discussion in front of a display about Rocky Aoki, a Japanese-American restaurateur. The display includes a portrait of Rocky Aoki, a United States flag, and a large screen showing a collage of images and the Earth with additional images.

Interaction as Navigation

Interaction replaced traditional navigation, allowing users to explore archival content directly through touch and spatial context.

A person interacts with an electronic display panel featuring a historical figure, with another screen showing a globe in the background.

Content Structure

Content was organized into a flexible system that supports both high-level browsing and deep exploration, allowing users to move seamlessly between overview and detail.

Touchscreen display with profiles of Hot Air Balloonists from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale at an event.

System Behavior

The system responds to user input, location, and context, adapting content and interface states across multiple displays. Interaction on one surface informs behavior on others, creating a continuous and connected experience.

Interactivity of the Balloon Museum's Hall of Fame user experience and interface with filtering options for navigating the experience.

Impact

The system created a cohesive experience across multiple displays, improving accessibility and enabling users to explore archival content more intuitively.

By unifying content, interaction, and environment, the installation transformed static material into an interactive system that supports both casual discovery and deeper engagement.

A man and a woman viewing a digital photo collage display in a gallery.

A system designed not as a single interface, but as a connected experience across space.