Revealed: The Hunt for Bin Laden, National September 11 Memorial & Museum

Revealed: The Hunt for Bin Laden is an exhibition at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. A combination of physical design and media help to tell the story of Al-Qaeda’s rise, a ten-year global search, and the aftermath of bin Laden’s death.

Exhibition design places visitors in raw terrain evocative of the forensic investigation and the operation leading to the capture of bin Laden. The studio uses geometric plywood forms modeled after combat-ready, field assembled encampments to double as media and artifact display cases and tells the story through the use of compelling artifacts, images, wall projections, architectural models, maps, and audio-visual footage.

Graphically, design motifs of redaction, declassification, surveillance and crime scene investigations are central components of the exhibition. The solid black bars of ink used to redact classified documents became a graphic motif throughout the space, and yellow evidence markers used in crime scene investigations informed the color and typography throughout.