Volunteer Appreciation Display
USS Midway Museum
USS Midway Museum
The USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California is a US Navy Aircraft Carrier that has been converted to a museum. Integral to the museum's operation, maintenance, and development are a large cadre of volunteers, working in seven major areas. These volunteers make up close to 90% of the museum workforce. The image above shows the Volunteer Appreciation Display (aka: "The Vol Wall") in its final location before being retired and replaced by the new Volunteer Recognition Display which can be seen elsewhere in my portfolio.
I initially became involved with the project in 2009, providing planning for the video segments. But ultimately I assumed responsibility for the overall development and design of the exhibit display case and Duane Trammell took on the video production. Although very many people contributed to the effort, I want to especially thank Bob Cain who actually built the cabinet structure, and Duane Trammell.
Early design concept layout done in Adobe Illustrator (AI), with provisional dimensions based on the limited available "ceiling" height, and a 5' 6" visitor. The button placement was high and centered to minimize the likelihood of them being hammered by children. However they were repositioned (shown in the final design) to address ADA considerations.
The final AI design drawing was done with many layers so features such as dimensions, the grid, and the internal components could be shown or hidden as desired. This composite image shows the placement of the internal electronic components in green and blue.
After doing the initial 2-D design drawings in Adobe Illustrator, I built a 3-D model in 3D Studio Max (3dS Max). This is a 3dS Max front view rendering of the model.
This exploded isometric view, generated in 3dS Max, was then imported into Adobe Illustrator so I could add callouts to describe key design features to the rest of the project team.
This 3dS Max render shows a perspective view of the internal design and component layout. The structure has an open top and bottom with vertical ribs to utilize passive convection to cool the electronic components.
This animated VIDEO CLIP of the 3dS Max model (above) shows how the display is designed with easy access for monthly maintenance and service.
The Volunteer Appreciation Display is shown here in its initial location, shortly after its unveiling. The temporary hoses above the cabinet were for unrelated work on the ship.
With the end "gull wing" doors open and the two panels removed, service and updating are extremely convenient. Two drawer locks secure the doors. The faux brass frames around the video display and two Digital Picture Frame (DPF) openings are fabricated from 1/2" half-round moulding. They are attached with countersunk screws from the backside to make the yearly replacement of the right-side Volunteer List graphic easier.
The right side of the case houses the two digital picture frames, timer, power distribution strip, and a metal basket for storage of exhibit documentation, equipment manuals, and spare parts. The electronics are all "off the shelf" items, and can easily be accessed or replaced if necessary.
The left side of the case contains the video display, video player, buttons and button interface. The buttons and interface are attached to the panel, and have only two plug-in connections to the main case. The panel can be removed and reconnected to the video interface with cable extensions to test the video system.
