EXP Studios founder, John Carney, creates a design for the RISD Museum’s Islamic art collection. John experiments with use of authentic objects, architectural environments and performance spaces.

In collaboration with Boston’s Wetzel Associates, John Carney develops the Texas State Aquarium, a project that led to numerous environmental “mega projects” that include include the Antwerp Zoo, Barcelona Aquarium, the National Aquarium of Taiwan.

John Carney and KPA of Boston merge to form Experience Design. KPA’s project at the Crayola Experience are established as experiential design hallmarks and cited in the book “The Experience Economy” which codify a global shift to value experiences over products.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute designed in the mid 90’s signifies a shift in museum and experiential design towards museums that present ideas and cultural advancement through recognizing history. This project experience would lead to a groundswell of cultural equity projects including the Kupsferburg Holocaust Center and Slavery in New York at the New York Historical Society.

As museum’s evolved, EXP Studios was there to be a part of the energy. As the senior designer of this project, John Carney further grew in the importance of culture and history as tools for healing. The American Jazz Museum, located in a former segregated neighborhood, shines a light on the incredible contribution of African American culture central to American culture and national treasures such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker.

As museum’s have changed from viewing platforms to experience platforms so are libraries trending. At the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston, EXP engaged with the library staff to produce engaging multi-media and artistic installations at which highlight the writings of great thinkers through the ages such as Ghandi, Dr. Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy. In a grand space in Boston, EXP, the MIT Media Lab and artist Ben Tre team to create an awe inspiring constellation of great ideas that have changed the world. Here we created a museum without artifacts but rich in transformative ideas.

Saving the African Elephant is profound and critical, a mission we shared in the development of the largest African Elephant habitat in the USA. At the Reid Park Zoo, a breading facility, EXP brought pubic attention to the plight of the African elephant and endangered status that the world needs to rally to save. EXP’s design brings forward the beauty, intelligence and elegance of these gentle giants. A baby African elephant was born here in 2018.

EXP Studios fulfills a 10 year initiative to design a new home for the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, with over 5000 maritime, agrarian, religious and native artifacts from an undersized house museum to a contemporary, climate controlled, high-tech museum. Groundbreaking children’s exhibits integrate constructivist learning principles. A two story fresnel lens serves as a gem-like centerpiece and a 10,000 square foot open collection space authentic whaling vessels.

Recently opened, EXP developed with the exhibition the “Genome and Me” at the Connecticut Science Museum. In the present near future genetic science is effecting how we live and how we will live in terms of health and ethical choices. EXP developed high and low tech interactive experiences conceived to visualize and simplify and unseen world of genes which reinforce the idea “we are more alike than we are different”.

EXP Studios, in collaboration with the National Park Service, developed a fresh, animated feature film for the site of the last battle of our country’s most divisive war. Custom CGI imagery tracks the last battle as it unfolds from Richmond to Appomattox. Live actors bring to life first-person accounts of this final chapter including those from many walks of life. Multiple viewpoints are always critical to understand history from multiple dimensions.