About the Project
The Chicago Archaeopteryx: Pepper’s Ghost Installation
The Chicago Archaeopteryx is one of only twelve known fossils of this transitional species, a rare and fragile specimen that demanded more than a static display. The exhibition team at the Field Museum sought a way to bring the fossil’s story to life—illustrating its journey from flight to fossilization—while maintaining scientific accuracy and visitor engagement.
To achieve this, we turned to the Pepper’s Ghost illusion as a dynamic storytelling medium. My role focused on prototyping the illusion so that it would convincingly animate the Archaeopteryx’s transformation from skeleton to feathered creature. I worked with the in-house production and media integration team to seamlessly embed the digital content within the exhibition environment.
Collaboration was at the core of the project. I worked closely with our curator and Paleovislab, who developed the 3D models and animations, aligning the visual narrative with current paleontological research.
