Jimin Oh Lee

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. I was honored to be a part of this project as the first staff designer for the Museum. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

In addition to designing and installing over 400,000 sq ft of space, I oversaw the branding for the Museum which included art directing the new website (designed and developed by Forum One), and overseeing various digital media projects for the Museum to ensure that the brand of the Museum was consistent throughout the visitor's experience.

Architectural design by David Adjaye and Philip Freelon / Master design of exhibitions by RAA.

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Lead Designer: Clare Brown

First Ladies exhibition features more than two dozen gowns from the Smithsonian’s almost 100-year-old collection of First Ladies dresses. 

Our design goal was to allow the colors and beauty of the dresses to stand on their own as focal elements of the exhibition to tell the story of the first ladies. We achieved this by choosing neutral colors for 2D and 3D elements and using subtle but intricate and elegant details to add richness to the exhibition look and feel. This exhibition is one of the most visited sites on the National Mall.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

LENS is the final exhibition for NMAAHC in its temporary gallery space in NMAH. It highlights the dynamic history of Americans of African descent and offers an overall introduction to the new museum and a preview of its rich collection. This project was a collaborative effort of various curators and educators in the museum.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

As the art director for this project, I worked closely with the Chief of Design of the Museum, curators, educators, design firm, and fabricators by providing art direction for the exhibition which influenced the color palette of all 3D elements, case layout, fabrication, and graphic design.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Rising Up! was a fun project that showcased incredibly vibrant, large-scale murals painted by artist Hale Woodruff. These murals portrayed significant events in the journey of African Americans from slavery to freedom. From concept to completion, I was the designer for all 3D and 2D elements in the exhibition.

National Museum of American History

Exhibition Design intern and Goldman Sachs Design Fellow under Exhibition Designer Clare Brown

Julia Child’s home kitchen serves as the entry experience for the FOOD exhibition. From the impact of innovations and new technologies, to the influence of social and cultural shifts, the exhibition considers how these factors helped transform food and its production, preparation, and consumption in post-WWII America, as well as what we know (or think we know) about what’s good for us. The public is invited to take a seat at a large, communal table in the center of the exhibition to share their own thoughts and experiences about food and change in America.

Photos courtesy of National Museum of American History

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Working with the Education Department at NMAAHC, I helped the team visualize some of their conceptual themes for the second floor of the new Museum. The team approached me with ideas of wanting to create a playful learning space for toddlers as well as an innovative lab for teens.

Corcoran College of Art + Design | Graduate Thesis

As one who grew up internationally, I have always been interested in the theme of identity and how one’s citizenship affects one’s freedom in the world. For my graduate design thesis, I designed an experience about the power of the passport and the freedom and oppression we gain or lose because of our citizenship.

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

My first project at NMAAHC was the Museum Welcome Center. I transformed a 60’ construction trailer into the Welcome Center at the new museum’s construction site. Responsible for all 2D and 3D elements of the trailer, I completed the graphics package and construction drawings package for fabrication as well as a large-scale exterior wrap design to promote the Museum and the Welcome Center. I also designed a custom wallpaper graphic which was inspired by the Museum’s building design.