Seventy years after the announcement that signified the start of the Second World War, this special exhibition Outbreak 1939 explored how the conflict shaped the lives of ordinary men and women, as well as those who were actively involved in the political negotiations and their aftermath.

Drawing upon 1930’s design and architecture, walnut veneer, bespoke furniture and complementary lighting were used to create a mood reminiscent of interiors of the period. Within a small gallery, we maintained a central open space whilst also creating a more intimate, contemplative seating area offering the visitor a flexible dwell time in which to engage with the large variety of written material.

We also enjoyed designing a children’s ‘counter and dice’ board game inspired by period ARP cigarette cards and which challenged four players to compete and see who can achieve their Air Raid Warden badge first!

Our role: Exhibition design / Graphic design / Illustration / Artwork

Contractor: IWM

Graphic Contractor: Service Graphics

Lighting Design: Luminance Lighting