National Geographic Museum of Exploration, Washington, D.C., USA
At the National Geographic Museum of Exploration in Washington, D.C., architecture, technology, and environmental storytelling converge in Wonders of Our World: Ocean, an immersive nighttime experience created by global entertainment studio Moment Factory.
Transforming the museum’s exterior into a dynamic visual canvas, the installation invites visitors to journey beneath the ocean’s surface through expedition footage captured by National Geographic Explorers and custom-designed visual effects.
Conceived as a spectacular conclusion to a museum visit, the experience draws inspiration from the theatrical scale of nighttime shows traditionally associated with theme parks.
Its purpose, however, extends beyond entertainment, translating the National Geographic Society’s mission to illuminate the wonders of the natural world into a collective, multisensory encounter.
Officially opening on June 26, 2026, the installation establishes the museum’s courtyard as a destination where scientific exploration meets immersive design.
Realizing the concept required architecture and multimedia to be developed together from the earliest stages.
Moment Factory collaborated with architectural firm Hickok Cole, the National Geographic Society, engineers, consultants, and specialist vendors to develop a projection surface capable of transforming the building without compromising its daytime appearance.
The solution was a nearly 3,000-square-foot, floor-to-ceiling smart-glass façade with adjustable transparency.
This innovative system allows the building to shift between concealment and revelation, creating visual depth and illusions that conventional projection mapping alone could not achieve. Years of research, testing, and prototyping informed the final installation.
Experiments explored glass thickness, tint, viewing angles, and image quality, with mock-ups developed in both Montreal and Washington, D.C. The resulting façade preserves the architectural intent while introducing a new dimension to the museum’s public presence.
The façade forms part of a larger multimedia environment extending across the courtyard floor, adjacent buildings, and surrounding landscape. Behind the smart glass, a 45-foot, high-resolution LED screen remains concealed until the glass becomes transparent, revealing layered imagery that creates a striking sense of depth.
Throughout the 17-minute main show, ocean waves appear to crash within the building, polar landscapes seem to freeze across its surface, and a lighthouse emerges through a dramatic storm sequence.
Authentic expedition footage is combined with custom visual effects, maintaining a connection to scientific discovery while intensifying the emotional impact.
Interactive floor projections respond to visitors’ movements, while spatialized audio, dynamic lighting, and an original orchestral score unite the courtyard into a synchronized environment. Interactive pre- and post-show experiences further encourage visitors to explore the underwater world at their own pace.
Rather than treating architecture as a passive backdrop, the project makes the building an active participant in the storytelling.
Its materiality, transparency, and surrounding spaces become integral to the experience, demonstrating how public architecture can serve as a platform for environmental awareness and collective discovery.
About Moment Factory
Founded in Montreal, Moment Factory is a multidisciplinary entertainment studio specializing in immersive storytelling, interactive design, multimedia scenography, lighting, music, and special effects.
Over 25 years, the studio has delivered more than 600 projects worldwide, including its Lumina Night Walk and AURA series.
With offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Moment Factory collaborates with cultural institutions, entertainment brands, and destinations to create shared experiences that connect people through creativity and technology.
With Wonders of Our World: Ocean, Moment Factory demonstrates how architectural innovation and multimedia design can transform a familiar urban setting into an extraordinary encounter with the natural world, bringing the wonders of ocean exploration to audiences without requiring them to leave Washington, D.C.
Project Name: Wonders of Our World: Ocean
Designers: Hickok Cole
Design Team: Moment Factory, in collaboration with Hickok Cole, the National Geo-graphic Society
Client: National Geographic Society
