Reading · The Experience Report

Hi friends,

In an industry that celebrates spectacle, scale, and innovation, it’s easy to assume the goal is simply to create something bigger and bolder than the last project.

But the real work carries deeper obligations.

As experience creators, we hold influence. A responsibility to ensure every guest, regardless of ability, can fully participate. A responsibility to tell stories with accuracy and care. A responsibility to the environment and to the communities represented in our work. And a duty to approach sensitive subject matter with empathy and integrity.

The stories in this week’s issue explore those responsibilities in action. From museums grappling with complex history to institutions redefining accessibility, and from exhibitions confronting present-day conflict to tourism leaders rethinking ethics.

Each example challenges us to think beyond the wow factor.

Because responsible design isn’t just good practice. It’s an obligation.

- Eric

How can you root your next project in responsible design?
Grab a time on my calendar and let’s talk.

Responsible storytelling starts long before the design process. Chris Wilson explains why every history exhibit at Bridgewater begins with deep immersion in the subject matter. Talking with experts. Reading everything. Understanding the nuance and the human stakes. When you take that responsibility seriously, the result isn’t just an engaging exhibit. It’s a thoughtful experience that respects the content and the audience alike.

Amsterdam’s plan for a National Slavery Museum is a reminder that some subjects demand more than beautiful architecture. The city is calling for a design team that understands the weight of the story and can shape a space worthy of it. The brief asks for empathy, accuracy, and accessibility at every level, because responsible storytelling starts on day one.

Blooloop →

The entrance to the museum — Image: Omer Messinger/Getty Images

The new Ukraine Museum in a Berlin bunker treats responsibility as its guiding principle, pulling visitors directly into the reality of a conflict that is far from over. Here, guests encounter recent drone footage, destroyed vehicles, and personal stories gathered with help from Ukrainian institutions and frontline troops. It is raw by design and built to amplify a story that is still unfolding.

The Guardian →

This profile piece showcasing one of our peers, Solid Light, is a powerful look at what responsible practice means in museums today. It does a great job of encapsulating the duty all experiential storytellers have to not just comply with accessibility requirements, but to make inclusivity a foundational principal in experiential design. No matter the subject, regardless of venue, all design should be inclusive.

American Alliance of Museums →

The Michelin Green Guide is dropping all tourist experiences that rely on animals, a bold move for a century-old institution and a clear precedent for the industry. Everything from elephant rides to camel treks is out, replaced with guidance that reflects current understanding of welfare and ethical travel. It is a rare example of the industry using its influence to change behavior for good.

Blooloop →

Reimagining a legend comes with responsibility. Picasso: Art in Motion will debut in the U.S. this May, using scale, light, and projection to immerse visitors in the evolution of one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. The technology is spectacular, but the real challenge is honoring the work itself. As immersive storytelling introduces fine art to a new generation, experience creators have a duty to ensure that innovation amplifies the artist’s voice rather than overshadowing it.