NeoPangea, a full-service experiential media design and production studio, has developed a series of interactive digital displays for Photo Ark: Animals of Earth, the first special exhibition at the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration in Washington, D.C., which opened on 26 June.
This immersive, multi-room exhibition honours nearly two decades of the National Geographic Photo Ark, founded and led by National Geographic Explorer and photographer Joel Sartore.
The project employs photography to promote wildlife conservation, encourage appreciation for biodiversity, and raise awareness about species facing extinction.
Sartore has documented over 17,000 species so far. Animals of Earth enables visitors to engage with this impressive collection through large projections, photographs, and interactive displays.
As a creative partner for the exhibition, NeoPangea crafted digital experiences that turn visitors from passive observers into active participants. Through engaging discovery, photography challenges, and personal interactions, the interactives showcase the skill behind Sartore’s work and connect audiences with those safeguarding wildlife worldwide.
Which animal shares your personality?
In a fun, BuzzFeed-style interactive quiz, visitors answer questions about everyday behaviours, food preferences, conversation styles, and personal choices to find out which Photo Ark species they most resemble.
A young visitor engages with an interactive touchscreen inside the Photo Ark: Animals of Earth exhibit at the National Geographic Museum of Exploration
Their answers might connect them with an arctic fox, a tree kangaroo, a swallowtail butterfly, or dozens of other animals.
Friends and family can compare results to see whose is the rarest or most unusual, and which is the perfect match.
The experience goes beyond simple personality matching. After revealing an animal, visitors can explore its traits, diet, habitat, and size. They are also introduced to National Geographic Explorers and conservation heroes working to protect that species and its environment.
By linking human traits to animal behaviour and real conservation efforts, the interactive personalises biodiversity and encourages visitors to see themselves as part of the natural world.
Getting the shot
Another NeoPangea experience invites visitors to go behind the camera and face the challenge of photographing animals in motion. As they try to capture the perfect shot, they encounter the same core difficulty wildlife photographers face: animals seldom stay still.
A young visitor steps into the shoes of a wildlife photographer, using a hands-on camera installation to capture digital portraits of an armadillo inside the Photo Ark gallery
This interactive activity encourages careful observation, quick reflexes, and patience. It offers a playful insight into the unpredictability of wildlife photography, highlighting the artistry and commitment needed to document animals in dynamic settings.
Through this challenge, visitors gain a better understanding of Sartore’s photographic approach and his goal to promote conservation by creating portraits of the world’s wildlife.
Face-to-face encounters
NeoPangea also helped create scenic photo-tent experiences that place visitors within Sartore’s point of view.
Visitors peer into interactive photo-tent displays in the Photo Ark exhibition, discovering the behind-the-scenes gear used by National Geographic photographers
Visitors peer inside each tent and come face-to-face with one of Sartore’s animal subjects, while short video snippets of animals at scale, curiously peering back at the visitor, recreate the safe and carefully controlled perspective of a Photo Ark photography session.
The intimate encounter offers a glimpse into the connection between photographer and animal. It highlights the patience, precision and empathy required to create conservation portraits and videos that can inspire awareness and action.
NeoPangea’s experiences enrich the Animals of Earth immersive journey by fostering participation and personal discovery.
A close-up view of an owl portrait inside a photo tent, showcasing the immersive digital storytelling elements at the National Geographic Museum of Exploration.
Visitors may form surprising bonds with different species, challenge their instincts while behind the camera, and feel the sense of closeness that is central to Sartore’s portraits.
Collaborative storytelling
Moment Factory developed the projected media for the exhibition in close partnership with the National Geographic Society, Sartore, and the Photo Ark team. Over 1,000 Photo Ark portraits are showcased through immersive formats throughout the exhibition.
NeoPangea’s interactive digital elements enhance this projected media by allowing visitors to play, choose, react, and learn. This integrated experience links the awe inspired by Sartore’s photography with the critical conservation message of the Photo Ark.
A young visitor steps on an interactive floor projection that triggers animations and environmental effects within the Photo Ark: Animals of Earth exhibition
Photo Ark: Animals of Earth is now on display at the newly opened National Geographic Museum of Exploration in Washington, D.C. The exhibition is also designed for touring.
NeoPangea creates custom interactive experiences for physical and digital spaces. For over 21 years, it has used storytelling, design, and technology to produce museum installations, immersive exhibits, games, AR, VR, and digital content for top brands and cultural institutions.
It was recently acquired by Exploring, Inc., a leading platform of companies delivering immersive environments and fabrication solutions.
