Holt Experiential Brings the Kaleideum Brand to Life

Named through the fusion of the words kaleidoscope and museum, Kaleideum is a blend of children’s and science museum in Winston Salem, North Carolina, brought to life by Holt Experiential.

“When the Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem and SciWorks merged and we became Kaleideum, we were never fully able to realize the brand while we were operating out of two separate locations,” said Leigh Ann Woodruff, Vice President of Communications-Kaleideum.

“So, one of my goals and visions was to really bring the brand to life in this new museum.”

To help achieve that goal, Holt Experiential designed, fabricated, printed, and installed three major areas of the nearly 70,000 square feet, 5-story Kaleideum:

1. Branded Interior Design for Wayfinding, Exhibit Entrances + Common Areas

Holt helped bridge the interior design gap in the exhibit openings and common areas by rendering their design into digital 3D models of all 5 floors, all 12 exhibits, every room, stairway, and hallway. Then, Holt and Kaleideum staff could review and evolve interior designs on the fly.

“We were able to choose the color schemes and look at how the floor would look, and how different signage would look on the walls and where things could be placed,” said Woodruff. “It really sped the process up, in an amazing way.”

The result is a bold, colorful, immersive space that Holt designed. “You have taken a brand and made it completely come to life,” said Woodruff. “It’s like walking through a brand.”

2. Donor Wall Inspired by Brand + Local Historical Quilts

Honoring the legacy of donors for their generosity and support was an extremely important goal of the project. The donor wall is like a puzzle of over 400 acrylic and PVC pieces in a rainbow of Kaleideum brand colors and patterns, reimagined to resemble an old quilt.

“The design inspiration came from being in Winston Salem and Old Salem, and thinking about the quilt patterns,” said Woodruff. “The Holt team worked very closely with a member of our development team to come up with the final look.”

3. Gift Shop Designed for Flexibility

Holt Experiential designed and fabricated the gift shop for both current and future needs. With extensive experience in modular exhibits for trade shows and events, Holt designed the gift shop with modular components that are not anchored to a dedicated spot but can easily change location to open the lobby for events throughout the year. Kaleideum can pack it down and move the components to open the space further. If they want to expand it in the future or add more accessories to it, they can, because it’s a modular solution.

Bringing The Kaleideum Brand to Life

Thanks to the interiors Holt created throughout the museum, visitors are engaged within a consistently elevated brand experience. “Holt totally brought the brand to life through all the work that they did, and I am extremely appreciative,” concluded Woodruff.