CAPABILITIES

With innovative designers and skillful exhibit fabricators all under one roof, anything is possible. By combining our design expertise with proven execution capabilities, we specialize in meeting goals and exceeding expectations.

Design

Project Planning

We’ll guide you through the early stages of your project—forming an exhibit committee, setting a budget, and planning a project kickoff. 

Kickoff/Workshop Facilitation

Our design teams facilitate an in-depth project kickoff, working with your group to define exhibit goals, establish audience, and start the brainstorming process.

Schematic Design

Starting with the big picture, our design teams map your story on a floor plan, establish the exhibit look and feel, and develop key visitor experiences.

Design Development

With an established floor plan, we move into detailing your exhibits—specifying materials, dimensioning components, writing exhibit text, and selecting images.

Interpretive Text + Proofing

Our skilled developers craft your story with just the right tone, making your content relevant and accessible.

Graphic Design

Our graphic designers establish color palettes, fonts, and style for exhibit graphics that engage visitors and elevate your story.

Interactives + Multimedia

From tactile to mechanical to AV interactives, our design teams create memorable experiences for visitors of all ages and abilities.

Cost Analysis

Our in-house estimators provide estimates at every phase of design to ensure that the finished design fits your stated budget.

Facility Coordination

Whether you’re building a new facility, renovating a current space, or just de-installing existing exhibits, we work with your staff and any third-party partners to make sure the space is ready for your new exhibits.

Project Management

As your main point of contact, our project managers oversee the design team and ensure everyone is on the same page throughout design.

Build

Construction Detailing

Our CAD detailers create construction drawings for every exhibit component, prioritizing durability and ADA accessibility every step of the way.

Custom Casework + Finishing

Our master carpenters build 100% custom casework and components that stand the test of time.

CNC Milling

Our in-house CNC milling operation helps us create custom cabinetry on any timeline.

Artifact Displays + Mount Making

Our fabricators build custom mounts, selecting the appropriate mounting method to ensure optimal collections care.

Graphic Output

Graphic designers prepare output-ready files, select appropriate substrates, and review all finished graphics for quality and color match.

Themed Environments

As part of our commitment to immersive experiences, we select props, build replicas, and age objects to create the perfect scene.

Dioramas

Integrating sculptural groundforms with custom-fabricated wildlife and plants, our artists create stunningly realistic habitats.

Hand-painted Murals

Whether they are creating standalone pieces or integrating murals within a scene, our artists can recreate historic or natural settings with incredible accuracy.

Sculpture + Replicas

Our artists hand-sculpt and paint plants, animals, and people that bring your story to life.

Digital Art Fabrication

From in-house 3D printing to custom CNC foam routing, we use the latest technology to streamline our art fabrication processes.

Interactives + Multimedia

Our fabricators and media specialists work together to prototype, test, and integrate each interactive component for a finished product that lasts.

Delivery + Installation

After carefully packing each exhibit component for shipping, our builders travel to site for a comprehensive installation of every component.

Closeout

We ensure you have all the training and information you need to keep your exhibits fresh and running for years to come.

Project Management

Our project managers oversee the entire build process from contracting through final installation, keeping you informed every step of the way.

A Proven Process

Over the last 20 years, we have developed the most effective ways to bring your ideas to life, fine-tune your content, and build an incredible exhibit that lasts. First time creating an exhibit? No sweat—we lead clients through this process every day.

Kickoff

Schematic Design

Design Development

Pre-Production

Fabrication

Installation

Grand Opening

Kick Off

Schematic Design

Design Development

Pre-Production

Fabrication

installation

Grand Opening

Getting Started

We facilitate project kickoffs, listening to and learning from your exhibit committee. 

Shareholder Engagement

We’ll advise you on how to build your exhibit committee and which stakeholders to engage when.

Big Picture + Details

Our process starts with the big picture and winnows down to details, ensuring we ask the right questions at the right time.

Collaboration + Feedback

Partnerships are key to our process. Every step of the way, we integrate and respond to your feedback, for a finished product your entire group can get behind.

Time + Resource Management

We communicate top priorities and upcoming information needs during each project phase, so you can focus your energy on the things that matter most.

Spotlight: Project Management

Our project managers are with you for the life of your project, providing perspective and prioritization every step of the way. Whether you work with Split Rock on a design or fabrication project, these key strategizers deliver team leadership, clear communication, and peace of mind.

Spotlight: Estimating

We’re committed to helping you get the most bang for your buck—no matter how many “bucks” you have. At the beginning of your project, we work with you to set a realistic budget. Then at every project checkpoint, our estimators work with the rest of the team to ground your designs in dollars and cents.

Spotlight: Estimating

We’re committed to helping you get the most bang for your buck—no matter how many “bucks” you have. At the beginning of your project, we work with you to set a realistic budget. Then at every project checkpoint, our estimators work with the rest of the team to ground your designs in dollars and cents.

Spotlight: Installation

When the same people who build your exhibit are the ones who install it, great results come naturally. Our builders and artists get to know you and your space long before installation day, resulting in time savings, well integrated exhibits, and familiar faces.

We’ve partnered with hundreds of incredible organizations over the years.

Click any of the categories below to see past project examples or feel free to contact us.

Museums
Nature Centers & Zoos
Universities & Libraries
Branded Experiences

Rave Reviews:

  • “Split Rock Studios was able to take all our ideas and develop them into an amazing story to share with our visitors. The team is very creative, fun to work with, and most importantly, showed a willingness to learn the subject they are creating and designing.”

    Melissa Bender, Director of Education and Programming, Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center

  • “Every aspect of the exhibits has been produced to a very high level of detail and finish, and to a person, the SRS team has been a pleasure to work with.”

    Brad Richie, National Park Service

  • “Please extend our sincere appreciation for the painstaking, methodical, and detail-oriented work that went into the restoration of our dioramas. They have played a central role in the museum for over 75 years, and your team really breathed new life into them. Future generations will benefit from your expertise and care.”

    Denise Young, Ed.D, Executive Director, Bell Museum

  • “We (the SMSC) are forever grateful for you helping us tell our story through Dakota eyes, especially at a time when perhaps our people didn’t have a voice.”

    Andrew Vig, Member, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC)

  • “Split Rock Studios seemed to genuinely enjoy learning our history so they could help us share it in the best possible way. I can’t begin to tell you how many compliments we get from visitors about the quality and content of the exhibits. We are extremely happy with the results.”

    Sandy (Lampereur) Orsted, Treasurer, Belgian Heritage Center

  • “I have already recommended Split Rock to others in my field who are looking to add to or expand their exhibits. We had a truly wonderful experience working with everyone at Split Rock. Everyone is so creative, has lots of energy and a fun sense of humor. Keep up the amazing work you do!”

    Margaret Gazdacka, Facility Supervisor & Naturalist at Red Oak Nature Center

  • “The installation crew was so easy to work with. They were professional, detail-oriented, personable, and left the space cleaner than when they arrived.”

    Kacie Carlson, Northwest Regional Naturalist, MN DNR

  • “Split Rock Studios was a pleasure to work with and we are thrilled with the end result of our collaboration.”

    Jill Hill, Executive Director, River Legacy Foundation

  • “We wouldn’t think of looking elsewhere.”

    Anne Klenke, Adventure Tourism Director, Visit Lake Charles

  • "10/10. Split Rock did an outstanding job throughout the entire project from design to implementation! I would highly recommend them."

    David Laskey, Director of Enterprise Efficiencies and Facilities Management, Second Harvest Heartland

  • "Working with Split Rock’s team was like working with a long-time friend - easy, comfortable, and supportive! Organized, detail-oriented, and resourceful, their working style meshed well with our museum staff’s and supported a strong, confident, and mutually productive partnership. We whole-heartedly recommend Split Rock Studios!"

    Teresa Armour, Exhibitions Manager, Museum of York County

  • "Split Rock Studios have gone above and beyond to help us implement interactive exhibits into our Dragoon Trace Nature Center. From the initial project discussions and design work, to the completed creation, Split Rock Studios employees are beyond compare in customer care and product quality."

    Kate Zimmerman, Director, Ringgold County Conservation

  • "The people, visitors, artists, and primarily educators and children are thrilled by the quality of the design, content, and images in the exhibits. Even professional translators and academics have come to us and expressed their appreciation for what we did. I truly appreciate your cultural sensitivity, depth of knowledge, and patience as we worked with the smallest of details to make sure the message was clear and direct. ¡Muchas gracias!"

    Pablo Llerandi Román, Natural Resource Education Specialist, US Forest Service, El Yunque National Forest

  • "Split Rock Studios heard what we wanted and did a great job putting those ideas into the design, construction and install. Always accessible for questions and quick to respond to changes or issues. Gotta love common sense and they had it. SRS was one of only two contractors that we didn’t have to push or prod to get our project on track. They are an honest, hardworking company with great staff."

    Lonnie Hebl, Executive Manager, Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo