U505, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL

Exhibit and media concept design and development, research, writing of final exhibit copy and interpretive signage.

Exhibit studio: Christopher Chadbourne and Associates, Inc., Boston, MA.

Visitors entered the exhibit past a life-size recreation of U-boat attack survivors. In addition to telling the story of the capture of the first warship by the U. S. Navy since the War of 1812, this introductory section set the background to the capture of the U505: the use of submarines, the secret efforts of cryptologists —many of whom were women —in identifying and tracking the German U-boat, the post-war story of how the U505 came to Chicago, and the 21^st. century renovation and relocation of the giant undersea vessel in its current underground exhibit space. Exhibit figures sculpted by StudioEIS, Brooklyn, NY.

Example of “high-level” interpretive signage.

Impressionistic signage listing the names of the U. S. Navy ships and personnel who participated in the capture of the U505.

Walk-through video theater showing historic footage that describes the capture of the U505. Nautical equipment are artifacts from the USS Chastain, the ship that led the capture.

The underground exhibit berth of the U505. Previously, visitors had a very restrictive view of the exterior of the U-boat.

“Middle-level” interpretive signage and artifacts.

Combination of large-scale interpretive graphics and interactive media.

Combination of artifacts and full-sized, hands-on experiential interpretive environments.

Full-sized, hands-on experiential interpretive environment that adds theatrical lighting and sound effects.

Interpretive graphics and text detailing the exhibit-within-the-exhibit: the story of restoring the U505 after more than a half-century exposure to the harsh Chicago weather.