Lighting Design Collaboration for Jurassic Oceans exhibition
Location: Natural History Museum, London
Lead Lighting Designer: Lucy Record (Record Lighting)
Project Management, 3D Design and Curation: Natural History Museum
Objective: Collaborate on the lighting design from Stage 2 (Concept Design) to Stage 5 (Completion) for Jurassic Oceans, a major temporary exhibition at the Natural History Museum. The lighting strategy was developed to immerse visitors in prehistoric marine environments through dynamic lighting sequences, atmospheric storytelling, and carefully considered object presentation, creating an engaging and educational visitor experience.
Scope:
. Lighting Design Collaboration (Stages 2 to 5): Participated throughout the full design and delivery process, from concept development to final commissioning. Worked closely with the exhibition design, curatorial, and technical teams to develop a cohesive lighting scheme that supported the exhibition narrative, enhanced visitor engagement, and responded to conservation and operational requirements.
. Dynamic Lighting and Immersive Storytelling: Designed and programmed dynamic lighting sequences that transformed exhibition spaces and reinforced key narrative moments throughout the visitor journey. Utilised colour, movement, intensity changes, and timed transitions to evoke the atmosphere of ancient oceans and create a sense of discovery, scale, and drama.
. Object Display and Interpretation: Developed tailored lighting solutions for a diverse range of exhibits, including fossil specimens, scientific displays, and large-scale prehistoric marine creature reconstructions. Carefully balanced visual impact with interpretive clarity, ensuring visitors could engage with exhibits while maintaining appropriate conservation standards.
. Scenic Enhancement and Spatial Experience: Applied creative lighting techniques to reveal textures, forms, and environmental elements within the exhibition design. Enhanced immersive scenic features and architectural interventions, strengthening the thematic journey and supporting smooth visual transitions between exhibition zones.
. Technical Execution: Collaborated closely with technical specialists, programmers, and installation teams to refine fixture selection, lighting control systems, colour palettes, and sequence programming. Oversaw on-site focusing, commissioning, and final adjustments to ensure the lighting design delivered the intended experience consistently throughout the exhibition.
Outcome:
A highly immersive and visually engaging lighting scheme that brings the prehistoric world of Jurassic Oceans to life. Through dynamic lighting sequences and carefully crafted exhibition illumination, the final design enhances storytelling, supports object interpretation, and creates memorable visitor experiences while meeting the museum's technical and conservation requirements.
*Photograph credits: Phoebe Anderson
