Vacuum Tube Exhibit
Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT
2024 - 2026
Roles:
Creative Direction, Exhibit Design, Print & Production Coordinator
Permanent installation, Vacuum Tube Exhibit at MIT’s Research Laboratory of Electronics. The exhibit features over 250 tubes across six sections, each organized by functionality and purpose to the evolution of early electronics. These tubes were essential to technologies such as radio, radar, and X-ray imaging, shaping the development of communication and modern computing.
I developed the visual system for the exhibition, from typography, color, and layout to create a space where the tubes could live while maintaining their history and impact. Close collaboration with fabricators and installers, along with careful attention to materials and print production made the exhibit possible.
Concept & Objective
The goal was to translate a foundational chapter of electronic history into a clear and cohesive visual system. The exhibit highlights how vacuum tubes powered early radio transmission, radar systems, and X-ray imaging, laying the groundwork for modern computing and communication.
The objective was to create a framework that could manage dense content while remaining readable at scale. Months of design work went into typography, color, and layout for a system that felt fully integrated within the space.
Visual System
The visual system was built around clarity and structure. Tubes were organized by function within six separate cases. Color was used as a supporting element rather than the main focal point, helping to house the tubes. Case titles were designed in raised black lettering against a brushed aluminum background, referencing the metal construction of the tubes and their industrial tone. A deep slate and muted blue palette helped the content to stand forward naturally, ensuring labeling could be clearly seen.
Case Layouts
Large Tubes + Reader Rails
Graphics & Vinyl materials
Production & Installation
Worked hands-on with the installation and team to mount brackets, drill precise anchor points, and secured each vacuum tube to ensure structural stability and alignment. With significant variation in size and fragility, each tube required careful spacing and repeated fit checks to maintain safety, balance, and overall design cohesion.
Installation timelapse
Completed Exhibit
Every design decision was made to create consistency across the cases without overwhelming the objects on display. The system establishes balance and function, shaping an experience that feels ordered, intentional, and grounded in the physical space.