X04. Museum of the City of Athens | Exhibit Design

Interactive Model of 19th-Century Athens

Exhibit Design • Museum of the City of Athens – Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation

For the Museum of the City of Athens, we conceived and executed a dynamic interactive exhibit centered on the museum’s historic physical scale model of Athens circa 1842, a pivotal moment in the early years of the modern Greek state when Athens was evolving into the capital of a newly independent kingdom.

The core of the project integrated architectural display design, user interface software and immersive projection systems around the original model to create an engaging narrative experience for visitors. We designed a bespoke housing for the historic model along with a 4-meter interactive screen, dual projection system and intuitive touch-based software interface that invites audiences to explore the city’s topography and architectural identity through time.

Using a light-beam interaction and touchscreen controls, visitors can activate animations, access historical information on key buildings, view 3D reconstructions, and rotate virtual elements to see how Athens developed in the mid-19th century. This spatial and digital layer transforms a traditional physical model into a storytelling device, making the urban history of Athens tangible and compelling for diverse audiences.

Our design leverages the museum’s architectural context and the historic significance of the Travlos model to create a multisensory, educational experience that bridges heritage, technology, and narrative design — allowing visitors to see and feel the city as it was nearly two centuries ago.