NeoPangea, an experiential media design and production studio, introduced a blend of playful interactivity and cinematic storytelling to the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD), a new cultural centre in the heart of Washington, D.C.
The Center is situated in a collection of historic, landmark former bank buildings just steps from The White House and the U.S. Treasury.
The interactive exhibition aims to support MCAAD’s mission of promoting economic and social mobility for all. Spread across several floors, the Center’s interactive displays cover key themes essential to prosperity in America, such as entrepreneurship, education, health, and finance, helping visitors connect these concepts to their daily experiences.
Dozens of videos, games, and immersive interactives enable visitors to see reflections of their own lives intertwined with the unfolding story of the American Dream. NeoPangea developed these experiences in partnership with Alice Blue.
“Guests can blaze their own trail through gamified adventures, connect with the personal stories of others, dig into history, and discover an incredible amount of knowledge about how to make their lives better,” says Brett Bagenstose, founder and CEO, NeoPangea.
“Every interactive was built with inclusivity at its core, with accessible UI, assistive device integration, screen reader text, text-to-speech functionality, and multilingual options.”
Gamification
Many of the Center’s experiences embrace gamification, offering visitors engaging ways to see how their choices influence outcomes. By making complex ideas accessible through play, these interactive exhibits demystify important themes.
For example, the Game Table Series invites guests to explore the Center’s core pillars through a variety of gameplay styles. Whether matching entrepreneurs with similar traits or identifying health and safety examples within a lively illustrated cityscape, each table provides a unique approach to learning.
Another highlight is Portfolio Power Play, an arcade-inspired stock market challenge. Here, visitors grab a joystick and respond to “live” news alerts, make investment decisions, and watch their portfolio fluctuate in real time—an experience designed to illustrate the dynamics of market volatility.
Finally, Cash Clash, an interactive personal finance quiz, leads participants through a year’s worth of financial choices in an illustrated, story-driven format. As they balance happiness, savings, and cash, visitors gain a hands-on understanding of personal finance management.
Interactivity
In addition to the gamified experiences, several exhibits invite visitors to uncover stories, analyse data, and delve into history as a way of understanding the broader impact of the Center’s themes.
For example, the Currency Interactive allows guests to explore the evolution of U.S. currency from 1785 to the present day. Through the ability to zoom in, flip, and closely examine beautifully photographed artefacts, visitors can discover the unique stories behind each dollar bill.
One exhibit, Place and Prosperity, illustrates the influence of geography on opportunity. Here, participants can enter their own ZIP code and compare local data with national trends, using animated maps and vivid visualisations.
This experience is set against the backdrop of a large, illuminated wall filled with facts and statistics, serving both as an educational reference and as an atmospheric focal point.
The American Dream Video Project Kiosk offers yet another avenue for exploration, with a collection of over 1,000 stories highlighting the American Dream.
Through a custom touchscreen CMS, visitors can browse and watch a diverse array of video narratives featuring both everyday individuals and well-known personalities, gaining a deeper appreciation for the varied paths people have taken in pursuit of their aspirations.
Cinematic storytelling
In addition to the interactive and gamified experiences, NeoPangea took on the art direction for a series of cinematic pieces that breathe life into history and inspiration.
One such example is the Voices of the Dream Portraits, which features animated video portraits of icons like Maya Angelou, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Dr Martin Luther King Jr. These portraits skillfully blend the images of these influential figures with their own memorable and powerful words, creating moving tributes to their impact.
Another highlight is the Moving Portraits, where classic presidents who once graced the Center’s halls are brought to life within framed “paintings.” These living portraits invite visitors to engage with the past by seeking out artefacts connected to each president’s legacy, offering a dynamic, immersive way to connect with history.
Accessibility is key
A key aspect of this project is its thorough focus on accessibility. Every interactive element was crafted with inclusivity in mind, featuring multilingual support, screen reader labels, text-to-speech options, and a special accessibility mode.
This mode enables visitors using assistive devices like the Storm Nav-Pad to participate fully, offering the same experiences as other guests. Such comprehensive integration raises the bar for museums and cultural institutions, demonstrating how to design experiences that welcome all visitors and prevent anyone from being left out of discovery or play.
In doing so, the Center not only makes its themes of education, health, finance, and entrepreneurship accessible but also advances its mission of broadening opportunities in ways that are personal, meaningful, and enduring.
“Working on this ambitious project was a huge honor,” says Bagenstose.
“At NeoPangea, we live for creating experiences that spark curiosity while making learning fun. This was our chance to take the big heady ideas behind the four pillars of the American dream and make them feel approachable, personal, and alive.”
MCAAD opened to the public on 20 September 2025.
NeoPangea is a full-service experiential media design and production studio that delivers tailor-made, interactive experiences for real spaces and digital worlds.
The team solves creative challenges through storytelling by designing museum installations, out-of-home advertising, AR & VR, video games, entertainment marketing, and digital content for the world’s boldest brands and cultural institutions.
Clients include National Geographic, USA Networks, The Franklin Institute, The Smithsonian Channel, Disney, Imagine, Paramount+, Nickelodeon, CBS and major CPG brands. NeoPangea has also recently developed interactives for the newly reimagined Delta Flight Museum.
