National Center for Civil and Human Rights

The redesign of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights (NCCHR) in Atlanta transforms the institution into a place where history, the present, and personal agency come together. As part of a major expansion, existing galleries were reimagined and new immersive environments introduced, creating a coherent spatial experience that moves between information, emotion, reflection, and participation.

Rather than applying a uniform exhibition language, each gallery has its own character and emotional register. Recurring “Join In” and “Reflection Zones” structure the visitor journey: interactive spaces encourage civic engagement, while calm, intimate environments offer opportunities to pause and process what has been experienced.

At the heart of the redesign is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Gallery. The exhibition moves beyond the historical icon to reveal the person behind the legacy. A recreated office, original recordings, books, photographs, handwritten notes, and original King documents create a close and personal encounter. From a blank sheet of paper on his desk, a sculptural cloud of pages rises into the main gallery – a spatial metaphor for thoughts becoming action.

The renewed Civil Rights Gallery guides visitors along a clear and intuitive route through segregation, resistance, and the struggle for equality. Immersive installations, including the Lunch Counter Experience, translate historical events into physical and emotional experiences.

The Children's Gallery extends this approach to younger visitors. Conceived as an imaginative training ground for future “Change Agents,” it transforms complex questions of identity, inclusion, courage, and civic engagement into an active, playful, and confidence-building experience.

Scenography, graphic design, lighting, and media are conceived as one integrated system, connecting distinct environments into a unified whole.

The result is an exhibition that connects historical understanding with reflection, participation, and individual agency across generations.