Margaret Middleton created illustrations, diagrams and maps for the Bill Nye's Climate Lab exhibit at the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, California. Most illustrations were digital. She also created a prototype for the Geometry Playground exhibit that used forced perspective techniques. Additionally, she designed costumes for the Underland outdoor exhibit at the Providence Children's Museum in Rhode Island.

1. Margaret Middleton
Bill Nye’s Climate Lab
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
I created the illustrations,
diagrams and maps, for Bill Nye’s Climate Lab is a solutions-focused
Chabot Space and Science science exhibit about climate change for Chabot
Center’s exhibit Bill Nye’s
Climate Lab.
Space and Science Center of Oakland, California
Most of the illustrations are
digital. The design team
chose the content and
message for their image
requests and we used a
collaborative editing process
to ensure that each diagram
was accurate and conveyed
the desired meaning.
The exhibit is set to open in
November 2010.
Communication and power
Steps of oil and natural gas formation flow within a “Smart Grid”
Jet streams, wrapping around the globe Green home construction Mock-up of interactive showing the greenhouse effect

2. Margaret Middleton
geometry playground prototype
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
This prototype was developed
for Geometry Playground as an Geometry Playground is a
example of “forced traveling exhibit by the
perspective”- the image is Exploratorium of San Francisco
painted across many surfaces
at an extreme angle so visitors
must position themselves just
so in order to make sense of
the image. Find the right vantage point and
the image magically comes together....
I created a variety of graphics
using the exhibit’s graphic
standards for font and palette.
The graphics we chose to use
in the prototype were the word
“Look” and a geometric bird.
I projected my images onto a
series of plywood pieces that
had been assembled for me
and I painted the images
directly onto the wood with
latex paint.
A version of “Look” appears in
the final exhibit.
...from any other angle
•
• the image falls apart
•
•
My original digital graphic Projecting “Look” “Look” finished

3. Margaret Middleton
underland: sketch to finish
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
I worked on a team of
exhibit developers to design
a look and feel for the
space of the exhibit and
synthesized those ideas in
my scale model and
detailed sketches.
Scale model
My model and sketches
were then used to propose
and promote the exhibit Underland is an outdoor exhibit that gives visitors the
and generate funding. The entrance to Underland feeling of being underground. It was designed for the
Providence Children’s Museum of Rhode Island.
Additionally, I designed
costumes representing
six different local
burrowing animals
including a chipmunk,
a cicada, and a
painted turtle. Since
the exhibit is outdoors,
I chose rugged fabrics
that were easy to wash
and would hold up to
New England weather.
Interior rooms with musical instruments and underground kitchen
Root chandeliers
Salamander and turtle play the xylophone
Sandbox with Mastodon bones to dig up
“Loose parts”- scattered natural items to inspire play

4. Margaret Middleton
kidworks
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
During my time as an exhibits
intern at the Metropolitan KidWorks is a special part of
WaterWorks Museum in the Metropolitan WaterWorks
Boston MA, I conceived of Museum dedicated to their
and drew up a funding
proposal for a space youngest visitors.
dedicated to the museum’s
youngest visitors.
Out of the way, yet still in
view, KidWorks provides a
safe place for children under
5 to learn through play, and
let their older siblings and
parents enjoy a longer visit in
the rest of the museum.
KidWorks would also make a
great meeting place for local
parents and their
preschoolers.
The museum is set to open in
October 2010 and whether it
will include the KidWorks
space is dependent on
funding.
Why a space for children?
EnterTRAINment Junction, Cincinnati OH Austin Children’s Museum, Austin TX
• wider audience
• longer visits
• more repeat visits 141 ft2
• building community
Canal Museum, Easton PA Titanic Museum, Branson MO
Selections from the KidWorks proposal presentation

5. Margaret Middleton
PCM renovation/play power
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
I was in charge of the
painting operation for our
ambitious two-month
renovation. My job involved
organizing paint, creating a
project calendar, managing
volunteers, keeping the
operation on schedule, and
of course, lots of painting.
The Providence Children’s
Museum underwent a massive
renovation, including the
installation of a new exhibit
called Play Power.
After we painted the walls,
we were ready to install
Play Power. As part of the
exhibit team, I helped plan
Exhibit components inspire creative problem-solving,
exhibit components that
imaginative and dramatic play, and experimentation
would support our message
that play is a valuable and The exhibit team chose inspirational
important part of a child’s quotations for the walls of Play Power
development.
Our process from left to right: sanding, cleaning, painting, and touch-up Post-its reminded volunteers
what colors to use

6. Margaret Middleton
conservation cabin
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
The goal of this renovation
project was to transform The Conservation Cabin
what was built as a
temporary turtle exhibit, invites visitors to explore
into Conservation Cabin, a reptile habitats from
reptile house with a focus around the world at the
on habitats.
Roger Williams Park Zoo of
I wrote a proposal and Rhode Island.
devised a budget for the
renovation. I worked with a
carpenter and together we
added the porch, fixed the
roof, installed the cedar
shingling and false
windows, and painted the before
trim.
after
Shingles in progress Priming the window boxes My hand-carved sign above the entrance

7. Margaret Middleton
anteater cantina
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
I designed the look of the
Anteater Cantina, styled
after a Latin American diner,
chose the decorations, and
painted it with faux finishes
to look like stucco, terra
cotta tile, stone, and kitchen
tile.
The posters inside, the sign
on the door, and the short
order window in the back are
painted directly on the wall.
Even the panels on the door
are trompe l’oeil illusions.
The Anteater Cantina is a docent station
at Roger Williams Park Zoo of Rhode
Island, designed to complement the
exhibit, Tropical America.
Original proposal sketch
Painted “advertisement” on building exterior Detail of “Sloth Brand Decaf” label design

8. Margaret Middleton
waterways signage
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
I created digital graphics
in Adobe Illustrator for
these five signs. The
imagery in each sign is
specific to its message
and location and the
colors were chosen to
complement the exhibit’s
color scheme.
The designs were printed
on Sintra and I suspended
them from monofilament
above the water tanks.
The signage in Waterways
at the Providence Children’s
Museum of Rhode Island is
designed to inspire a child’s
exploration of water.
The designs for the five signs I created:

9. Margaret Middleton
milking goat
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
I constructed the milking
goat from 2x4’s and
plywood. The interior
reservoir is made from
watertight PVC so it can be
filled from the top and
children can then “milk”
from the goat through rubber
“udders”.
I designed the goat to match
The milking goat gives
existing cow versions and children a hands-on
painted it to resemble one of experience at the
the zoo’s LaMancha dairy
goats. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
at Burnet Park of
Syracuse, New York.
Detail of paint job Wood framework Interior reservoir, full of water Milking a goat is fun!

10. Margaret Middleton
too small to see
315.406.2850
margaret.k.middleton@gmail
margaretmiddleton.com
This exhibit was a
collaboration between Small
particles
Smaller
particles
Nano
particles
Cornell’s Main Street
Science and Ithaca’s Painted
Universe, in conjunction with
the Ithaca Sciencenter
through a grant from NSF. 1 nanometer
In preparation for the exhibit,
I conducted research on
a smell molecule
techniques for helping
Smell molecules are even smaller
children visualize atoms. I
was also involved in some of than dust particles.
the early interpretive work,
Sniff the air
as well as illustrations for a
children’s book, and the above the tube.
creation of the character, You can smell the
Quark the Science Dog, a scent, but you can’t
bull terrier with a flair for see anything.
chemistry.
Smell molecules are
too small to see but
they’re not too small to smell.
Too Small to See is a traveling children’s museum
exhibit about atoms and nanotechnology, developed
at Cornell University of Ithaca, New York.
Do YOU Nanooze?
It’s the only place online
to nd ME. Come visit!
Your puppies- I mean kids-
will love it!
Quark the Science Dog, PhD
Official Spokes-terrier for
Main Street Science
Initial concept page Sample page from the book dummy Final illustration proposal Promotion featuring Quark the Science Dog