Roto, a leading planning & design-build firm, is celebrating the opening of a new young-adult-focused gallery at the Kentucky Science Center in Louisville, Kentucky, US. Uniquely Human is designed for teens and young adults and, over the space of 6,000 square feet and through a number of custom-made exhibits and experiences, it explores the intersection of health and humanity and how those connections shape who we are as people, how we think, and what we feel.
“Uniquely Human is a transformative experience that invites guests to discover their unique selves and develop empathy for a broader view of humanity,” says Kentucky Science Center CEO, Mike Norman. “Guests will be challenged to see themselves and others differently, encouraging communication and understanding. Ultimately, our goal is for Uniquely Human to make our community better for all.”
In 2018, Roto and the Kentucky Science Centre started working on a master planning project, with the gallery’s mission direction becoming more clearly defined after the local and national response to the death of Louisville’s own Breonna Taylor in 2020. The goal of the new space was to foster an environment where difficult, courageous discussions about identity, community, and shared humanity could take place through a scientific lens.
A multisensory engaging experience
The 18 specially created experiences and exhibitions provide approachable entrance points to these subjects while engaging multiple senses along the way.
In the All The Colours of We experience, guests take a close-up photo of their skin and then view it beside a variety of skin samples from other museum visitors. This helps people realise that there is a much more diverse range of human skin tones than simply black, brown, and white. The resulting artistic presentation introduces the concept of race as a social construct.
Meanwhile, in On a Spectrum, visitors respond to a series of spectrum-based identity survey questions in order to determine where they currently see themselves as fitting inside that spectrum. Visitors may view their own distinctive “fingerprint” and compare it to the community of replies by viewing comments that have been anonymously collected and displayed in a visually engaging and relevant way.
Another highlight is the Mood Room, where guests can adjust the lighting and sounds in a semi-enclosed nook to create a personalised atmosphere and see how the changes complement or affect their mood.
We Are Louisville is an exhibit that puts real Louisville residents in the spotlight. Viewers may see first-person narrative video testimonies that discuss the challenges that new immigrants had when adjusting to the city, including dealing with language barriers.
“We are especially proud of our work on this gallery,” says Roto principal, Elizabeth Fleming. “To work with a client who recognizes the importance of proactively addressing the emotional and mental health needs of young people by creating this space to have brave conversations is particularly meaningful to our Roto team.
“This exhibit prompts needed conversation and explores how our differences can bring us together. Our world needs more spaces like this.”
From initial design to completion, the $2.5 million project took nearly two years.
“Working with Roto on our Uniquely Human project was an absolute game changer,” says Norman. “From the moment we engaged their services, their expertise and passion for the project shone through.”
Earlier this year, Roto celebrated the opening of Discovery World on Market – the first dedicated children’s museum in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
