Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation

The Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation in Washburn, North Dakota, initiated a large-scale, phased expansion with the mission to “preserve and reveal our unique sense of place.” Taylor Studios was hired at the earliest stage to develop a comprehensive Interpretive Plan, establishing a clear roadmap for the entire project. We then designed and fabricated three distinct, cohesive exhibit galleries to tell the site’s rich history to a wide audience. Successfully managing this creative challenge, our proven interpretive process helped the Foundation define a strong central theme that seamlessly wove all the stories together into a unified experience. The result is an immersive and engaging museum exhibit featuring a multitude of layered interactives and touchable artifacts that captivate both young and older visitors. Highlights include a stunning Earthlodge diorama, custom-themed casework, life-cast figures, sound and lighting sequences, and large-scale visuals like backlit graphics and murals. This project powerfully demonstrates our capability to transform complex historical narratives into cohesive, accessible, and highly participatory educational exhibits for history museums and cultural institutions.