The Independence Seaport Museum’s new cornerstone exhibit shares with visitors the science and beauty of the Delaware River Watershed. We partnered with Habitheque to create an experience that blurs the line between education and play—making it fun for kids to learn about the water right outside the museum’s walls.
River Alive
Children interacting with exhibit
Project Overview
Project Videos and Images
Branding
Our style guide for River Alive includes a hand-painted font, logo, and color palette that establishes a kid-friendly, approachable tone for the exhibit and its marketing materials.
Detailed animations and illustrations allow for visitors to experience the watershed through interactive experiences.
Restoring a Watershed
Using interactive sensors, visitors blow, spin, and drum to clean the digital waters of a 32-foot long projection of the watershed—and meet the friendly creatures that call it home along the way.
A visitor uses a physiodigital sensor to interact with a simulation.
The contoured wall with its projection of the river greets visitors when they enter the exhibit.
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Interactive displays help to make content easier to understand for all age groups.
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Animations of key parts of watershed wildlife
Physiodigital sensors allow visitors to interact with the environment
Sensors designed and fabricated by Creative Machines
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Visitors use sensors to learn through play.
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Animated characters dance to custom music and colorful lights in Party Mode, visitors’ reward for cleaning the whole river.
Animated characters dance to custom music and colorful lights in Party Mode, visitors’ reward for cleaning the whole river.
Using Data to Understand and Improve a River's Health
A multi-user touchscreen teaches kids about the science behind the river’s health with engaging activities and interactive animations.
Visitors use touch to interactively learn about the environment.
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A visitor interacts with a large touchscreen.
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A animation displaying the effects of human pollution on the environment and the watershed specifically.
Mapping a River's History
Set into a larger map of the watershed, a touchscreen takes visitors on a deep dive into the river’s history.
Visitors learn about the watershed through interactive games and activities.
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A visitor interacts with an animation displaying information about the watershed and its significance.
Personalizing Connection to River Life
Our personality quiz builds connection and commitment to the watershed by matching visitors with their “River Hero” and related local organizations.
A young visitor learns about watershed wildlife through a interactive display.
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Animations bring key watershed ecosystem features to life.
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Familiar river characters reappear in the quiz's animations.
Familiar river characters reappear in the quiz’s animations.
A Visual Ecosystem
Our custom font, illustrated animals, and colorful photographs balance scientific content to set a playful yet educational tone for the exhibit.
The exhibit was designed with close help from Habithèque, River Alive's exhibit designer.
We worked closely with Habithèque, River Alive’s exhibit designer.


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Costumes by artist Lexy Ho-Tai
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