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Holocaust and Humanity Center
Exhibit/Graphic Designers:
​ JRA, Berenbaum Jacob Associates

Museum Link
The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center is located in Union Terminal in Cincinnati, OH. The museum portion of the Center contains artifacts and at least a dozen individual sections that tell the stories of the Holocaust and of survivors that escaped and settled in the Cincinnati area.

Many of the sections had interactive elements. If a visitor pushed a button, either something would light up or graphic panels would move to reveal more information. I worked very closely with the printers to figure out what the solutions were for each individual section to meet the designers' production expectations. 
Prototype of LED lights behind a graphic panel to show specific printed layers.
A printing and lighting sample/prototype for the effects in the Survival section.
A wall labeled Survival with a panel of text and the image of a Holocaust survivor.
The section about survival in the concentration camps.
Closeup of a small panel, backlit to show through the fabric image
One of the smaller images, lit to view through the large panel image.
All eight backlit panels showing through the fabric image.
All eight panels lit up to reveal additional information and images.
An example of the light-up interactive is the section dedicated to SURVIVAL.

The main feature in Survival was a large image, behind which eight separate graphics were hidden. When light appeared behind the smaller panels, they were supposed to show through the large image and reveal additional content.

Questions considered: 
  • What materials would best achieve the designers' intent?
  • How to print the large image so that the eight images were completely hidden when not lit?
  • How to print the large image so that it all but disappeared when the smaller panels were lit?
  • How to print the eight images so that they were opaque when lit but still showed clearly through?
  • What kind of margins and bleed were necessary for mounting and installation?
  • Did the designers need to alter the digital files once printing methods were confirmed, or would the printers or I be responsible for that step?
  • How many prototypes will the schedule and budget allow?


Solution:
  • Fabric was chosen for the large image because it had the best visual texture and allowed light to show through. 
  • The fabric image was printed at a low resolution on a material with a loose weave.
  • The eight images were printed on non-glare acrylic panels, second surface, with two layers of white ink to create the final opacity. The printer took the responsibility of setting up the digital files for this particular method after I ensured all other content was ready for production.
  • The electrician developed a lighting rig so each smaller image was evenly backlit without the LED sources being visible from the front.
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