The story of a historic tavern, made accessible to all.
Located on the Potomac River just outside of Washington, DC, the Great Falls Tavern served many purposes over its 200-year history on the canal, including a lockkeepers home and an inn. In our exhibits for the Tavern’s Visitor Center, EDX took advantage of the historic structure to tell the story of the place and the period. Three distinct spaces let visitors experience the canal’s technological feats, the challenges of life on the canal in the 19th Century, and the natural history of its surroundings.
In addition to traditional exhibit media, EDX worked closely with the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry Design Center and a panel of accessibility experts to develop a unique design implementation. A touchable plan at the entry orients visitors to the opportunities inside. Ambient music at specific points in the exhibit alerts visitors with low vision or blindness to audio descriptions and touchable items. Through universal design principles, the exhibits use sight, touch, hearing and smell to engage all senses in the experience.
