Twilight Zone: Deep Reefs Revealed
Twilight Zone: Deep Reefs Revealed highlights a new frontier in ocean exploration that may hold secrets for the survival of the world’s coral reefs.
In the Twilight Zone Explorer game, visitors race the clock to find and collect fish on a twilight zone reef.
This immersive exhibition features cutting-edge science, including newly discovered species of corals and fish collected from twilight zone (or mesophotic) reefs by the Academy’s scientific diving team.
Interactives and media depict the physical and technical challenges of sending divers to depths of up to 500 feet, and demonstrate how a special decompression chamber helps scientists safely bring twilight zone fish—adapted to deep ocean pressures—to the surface.
The exhibition centers conservation efforts to protect coral reefs that sustain ocean biodiversity, safeguard coastal communities, and feed millions of people.
Awarded the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Exhibit Innovation Award
A mannequin outfitted with more than 100 pounds of diving and scientific gear illustrates the complexity of twilight zone dives.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Type & Size
Long-term exhibit
3100 square feet
Location
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA
Project Role
Associate Director of Exhibit Development: project & editorial direction, coaching and supervision of experience and content developers, liaison with C-suite decision-makers, collaborate on marketing and communications planning.
Collaborators
California Academy of Sciences: Exhibit Studio, Creative Studio, Visualization Studio, Experience Engineering, Interactive, Aquarium, and Curatorial staff
Fabrication: Group Delphi
Image credits: Aquarium tanks (top), Saving Coral Reefs/large aquarium tank, Coral Reefs of the World intro wall by Tina Besa; Visitors playing Twilight Zone Explorer by Tamara Schwarz; all others by Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
