GMSI Henry Crown Space Center

The Henry Crown Space Center opened in 1986 to showcase the scientific and technological breakthroughs of space exploration in recognition of the generosity of Henry Crown and the philanthropic legacy of the Crown family. Featuring everything from a training lunar lander to the Aurora 7 and Apollo 8 capsules, what was state of the art 38 years ago was old, tired, and no longer scientifically accurate or visually exciting.

The museum was gifted a flight-proven SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which was the impetus for a reimagining and refit of the Space Center, designed and built by Lightswitch collaborators Bridgewater Studios. Featuring all-new immersive multimedia displays and interactive learning experiences, the new gallery welcomes space-curious guests of all ages for an out-of-this-world adventure.

When Lightswitch embarked on a process of evaluation of the existing gallery, two factors struck us: the need to draw focus and attention to the major artefacts and a desire to hide the low and unappealing facility ceiling. We were able to accomplish both these tasks with a single addition to the space. We replaced the dated chrome space-frame ceiling structure and designed a new ceiling array of mappable LED strips, which were randomly arrayed over the common areas but aligned in fan arrays or “crowns” above each feature exhibit. This filled the gallery with dynamic patterns of shifting light, all while driving the eye to the exhibits.

We also worked with the Bridgewater Studios team to design and specify pixel-mapped “light attics” above the Apollo and Dragon spacecraft, which were synchronized with the accompanying media wall shows.

Lastly, we brought the color temperature up from a warm tungsten to a cool, crisp modern daylight. We specified all new LED fixtures throughout and worked with the museum curation staff to ensure conservation standards were met for the priceless artifacts.

Lightswitch loves working at The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry – and as self-proclaimed “space nerds,” we were made for this project! We combined our knowledge in the fields of museum lighting and space projects (including Virgin Galactic, The Kennedy Space Center, and the new Space Shuttle display at the California Science Center) with our pragmatic design ethos to design a truly bespoke solution for these exhibits.

Even though this was largely a refit, the result feels and looks like an entirely new Henry Crown Space Center. The museum team and guests have responded enthusiastically to the reimagined galley. We’re proud to help inspire and educate the next generation of space explorers, engineers, and scientists!