Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - Seattle, WA

The Klondike National Historical Park is located in Seattle's Pioneer Square, which was the start of a journey for gold and fortune-seekers who struggled to fulfill their dreams. Visitors to the Historical Park are invited to imagine traveling along the actual route from Seattle to the gold fields in the Yukon. The exhibits follow five historical figures of varying backgrounds as they make the same journey visitors imagine taking. Visitors explore the cities and routes one might have traveled through, what supplies were needed, and the larger social issues of the time.

The visitor center also contains orientation based exhibits focused on the park and the surrounding neighborhood which to this day physically represents the boom and outcomes of "gold fever."

Responsibilities included: content development, research, exhibit design, graphic design and documentation. Project completed while employed with Edquist Davis Exhibits.

Contextual and welcoming graphics invite visitors to start their journey.

The visitor center is divided into two content areas, the main exhibits and an orientation space. Materials selected for each area are inspired by the content in that space. While a historical approach to materials is used in the main exhibit spaces, the orientation space uses a contemporary approach representing content based on the park as it stands today.

A series of "stations" allow visitors to follow along with five historical Gold Rush figures. Stages of their journeys are displayed through graphics, artifacts, and interactives.

Towards the end of the exhibits visitors are invited to test their luck at "striking it rich." Time period design aesthetics were used to inspire exhibit structures.

Exhibit methods included graphics, objects, low-tech interactives, large scale murals, diorama sets, and digital interactives.

This sample page from the exhibit Schematic Design Report demonstrates the material and design approach for two similar panels that appear in 2 different places within the exhibit. Documentation of design intent was created at all project stages to retain original decisions. This resulted in a final project very similar to the original drawings.

This work including text, images and photos by Wing Fong is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.designbywingfong.com.