Elmwood Projects Ltd were appointed Main Contractor to deliver the Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of the Imagination Exhibition fit out works by the Science Museum Group. The project consisted of the design, manufacture and fit out of setworks, partition walls, decorative finishes, and exhibit display cases with integrated Audio-Visual equipment, in addition to interactive platforms to enhance the visitor experience.
The Science Museum in London is an award-winning tourist destination which attracts around 3 million visitors annually. The Museum is home to over 15,000 display objects and provides visitors with an incredible experience detailing scientific achievement and potential. The Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of the Imagination Exhibition aims to embark visitors on a dynamic and interactive voyage throughout the universe by using over 70 authentic objects from celebrated film, TV, and books, as well as paintings, artworks, and interactives.
On this project our design team had several key challenges. A significant challenge we faced and overcame was that all setworks and displays had to be designed and constructed in such a manner that they could be deconstructed for onward transportation to other museums across the globe for future exhibitions.
This requirement increased the complexity of the design activities to ensure that all materials and equipment specified met the requirements of other jurisdictions including the Europe and the United States. A further challenge overcame by our design team was the coordination of design inputs from detailed design stage to client approval from several of our key supply chain partners including Aivaf for models and interactives, FusionLX for electrical and lighting, Glasshaus for display & showcases, and graphics by Service Graphics.
The exhibition setworks were manufactured in our state of the art 20,000 sq. ft joinery workshop in Glasgow prior to transportation and installation on site. Our in-house logistics team had to ensure that all components were clearly identified prior to transportation to facilitate seamless assembly and installation on site. Arguably the most challenging aspect of the project was meeting the tight installation programme which was met utilising our Operations’, Project’ and Site Managers’ expertise, specifically understanding the key requirements, careful planning and excellent leadership skills.
Our site installation team also faced and overcame the significant challenge of delivering the works within a live public facing environment, as the museum received thousands of visitors throughout the duration of the project, whilst coordinating and managing all site works delivered by our supply chain partners named above. The exhibition was successfully delivered to the highest quality standards within the set project budgets and programme.
Following its opening in October 2022, the exhibition has been described as ‘Dazzling’ The Times, ‘Uplifting’ The Telegraph, and ‘an astonishingly optimistic antidote to apocalyptic dread’ The Guardian.
