Showroom Experiential Creates Interactive Exhibit Connecting Boston Logan’s past to Its Future

Boston Logan International Airport (Boston Logan), one of the nation's foremost travel hubs, recently celebrated the renovation of International Terminal E, as well as the airport’s 100th anniversary. In addition to amenities offering a more enjoyable and efficient travel experience, the 390,000-square-foot terminal renovation features an immersive exhibit: Boston Logan Looks Back: A Century of Powering What’s Possible.

Conceived by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) in partnership with The Boston Globe, the exhibit was developed by Boston-based studio Showroom Experiential and features interactive videos and photography highlighting Boston Logan's rich history, from its opening for military use in September 1923 to Amelia Earhart's visit in 1933 to the original Terminal E for international travellers in 1974. Cycling through eight distinct historical themes, the highly visual experience offers a unique perspective on Logan's evolution, from the challenges to the innovations.

- Boston Logan Looks Back, an intro to the inception of Logan Airport and its early years 

- Economic Engine, highlighting the airport’s role in fueling travel, tourism, and trade over the last century

- An Industry Leader, a look at how Logan has been inspiring some of the earliest airport innovations since 1923

- Welcome to America, Logan as a place of hope and new beginnings for thousands of immigrants

- Confrontation, Collaboration and Community, the evolution of a growing airport and how Logan balances the demand for travel while being a good neighbour

- Rebounding and Resilience, showcasing moments of strength throughout the airport’s history

- Boston Logan International Airport, connecting Massachusetts and New England to the world

- Historical Figures, welcoming many famous figures through the years, from politicians and spiritual leaders to celebrities and athletes

The exhibit begins at the pre-security checkpoint area in Terminal E, with content running in parallel on multiple screens on a stunning 36-foot-wide wall. Designed to engage travellers walking through, the interactive content is triggered by motion sensors. Once activated, a short trailer highlights the key points within each corresponding theme. QR codes accompany each film, welcoming deeper exploration of the content to passersby via the Massport website. The content and animations loop through the eight themes when the wall is not activated.

Showroom Experiential deployed state-of-the-art technology to breathe motion and colour into the experience. Photographs were transformed into cinemagraphs by adding subtle motion to still photography, providing a layer of intrigue and dynamism to the visuals. The team used various AI technologies to support the restoration, colorization, and animation of archival content from The Boston Globe. In total, the agency produced a library of 200 different assets for the experience. Using a Content Management System (CMS), Showroom Experiential provided Massport with the ability and adaptability to make content changes quickly and seamlessly.

“While Logan has had digital screens in the past, this exhibit is its first-of-this-kind,” concludes Kevin Lee, CEO of Showroom Experiential. “For a place with such rich and meaningful history, we were honoured to help Massport and The Boston Globe develop a lasting tribute to the airport’s first 100 years – and one that’ll continue to celebrate the innovation and progress that will define its future.”