Interactive, immersive exhibit designs drive community engagement for Bruce Power Visitors' Centre

Context

Bruce Power is a nuclear power company in Tiverton, Ontario. Bruce Power Visitors' Centre, located on a hill overlooking the power plants, sees over 20,000 visitors every year. The visitors are primarily families and children who come to learn about one of the world's largest nuclear power facilities. A new exhibit was developed by the Creative Strategy team during the centre's pandemic closure as a first step towards its revitalization. As part of the renewal, the design focuses on a pathway for new exhibits in support of public programs, expanding interactivity, improving accessibility and  Bruce Power’s innovative and life-saving medical isotope production.

Methodology 

The Visitors’ Centre upgrades include a new open front facade, new furniture, a new orientation video and a new gallery of exhibits. Some of the exhibits include a new welcome area, timeline wall, CANDU reactor exhibit, environment exhibit, isotopes exhibit and an Indigenous exhibit to honour the location of Bruce Power, which is situated within the Territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation and the harvesting territory of the Métis Nation of Ontario and the Historic Saugeen Métis.

We teamed up with the Ontario Science Centre to come up with the Cobalt-60 exhibit. Cobalt-60 is a medical isotope used worldwide to battle cancer and treat brain conditions. The extensive research was collected in workshops and through a number of prototypes that were then presented on the Science Centre floor to test usability, accessibility and gain vital feedback on what resonated with participants.

Results

The result is a new, immersive experience that takes visitors through the story of Bruce Power, how nuclear power is generated and its future. The exhibit designs convey a strong identity with fresh, bold graphics and are carefully paced to offer visitors a variety of interactions.

Visitors become a part of the action in the Cobalt exhibit by aligning gamma waves to battle brain cancer or picking up cobalt adjustor rods using specialized tools like the ones used by Fuel Handling Operators at the Bruce Power site. Visitors can look inside a mock-up of a reactor or take a selfie – dressed in a containment suit – in front of a large reactor face photo. They can even help power the Visitors’ Centre by using special stationary bikes, connected to the grid. 

Project Details 

• Refreshed and designed over 20 exhibits
• Feather Friendly® Window Markers bird safe glass graphics were used on the exterior to vastly reduce bird collisions with the windows
• The reception desk has an accessible lowered counter with knee and toe space forwheelchair access
• Door signage has braille and raised graphics for ADA compliance

Our team designed the new exhibits to highlight all the exciting innovations going on at BrucePower. The redesign provides a new, colourful backdrop that brings more life and vibrancy to the space. 

Before: 

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Credits

Collaboration for the Cobalt 60 Exhibits: The Ontario Science Centre 

Exterior Mural: Stephanie Boutari

Indigenous Mural: Patrick Hunter

Photographer: Mandy Lubjenka