IDEAS, a leading brand and experience design company, is celebrating the opening of MORPH’D, a new immersive gallery at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa. This ground-breaking experience connects visitors to the fascinating and universal process of adaptation. IDEAS led the story development and creative direction, in partnership with The Florida Aquarium’s teams of exhibit designers and animal care professionals.
MORPH’D offers visitors on a free-flowing tour through the process of adaptation for survival in the animal realm, showcasing close to 20 distinctive species from all over the world. Over 24 interactive pieces were conceptualised and created for the experience by IDEAS, exploring species with special adaptations that have allowed them to resist the rigours of natural selection in interesting ways, such as axolotls, paddlefish, and electric eels.
Engaging and interactive
IDEAS collaborated with a number of specialist teams to bring this project to life. For instance, the touchscreen content, which includes a projection globe that visitors can use to discover how adaptation changed species that dwell in some of the most extreme environments on Earth, was created by HD Interactive.
A virtual reality periscope that lets visitors see the world through the eyes of a four-eyed fish—an animal that can see above and below the water simultaneously—was created by Artistic Contractors Inc., in addition to other physical show elements. All Pro Systems handled the AV integration.
Mike Yager, IDEAS executive VP, says: “Our creative team approached MORPH’D asking the question, ‘What do guests most want to do when they visit an aquarium?’ Our StoryJamT process showed that the answer was to get inside the habitat with an animal. So, we flipped that on its head and devised some clever ways to bring the animal’s perspective out into the gallery and into our guests’ hands.”
Along with creating hands-on interactives, IDEAS designed and developed rich content for 20 touchscreens that let visitors immerse themselves in information regarding each animal in the exhibition through engaging movies, animations, and games.
Bringing a sense of play and discovery
Pete Colangelo, senior director of creative services for The Florida Aquarium, says: “The IDEAS team brought a real sense of play and discovery to MORPH’D that helped convey the importance of our animals in visceral ways. It’s fresh, fun, and our guests are absolutely thrilled!”
MORPH’D sees the start of a multi-year, $40 million expansion for The Florida Aquarium. For the IDEAS team, it represents a breakthrough in story-driven exhibit design.
“Our team champions the importance of story in heavily curated experiences like aquariums,” says IDEAS chief storytelling officer, Bob Allen. “MORPH’D uses narrative to get guests to care about these incredible animals-the real celebrities, helping them understand that adaptation is something shared by all species, including homo sapiens!”
The IDEAS team were also the creative masterminds behind the new Great Florida Road Trip interactive experience at The Wheel at ICON Park in Orlando.
