Traces of Empire - Exhibition Design

Designed a touring heritage exhibition for Historic Environment Scotland, translating community stories, research and oral histories into an accessible visitor experience exploring Scotland's imperial legacies.

Traces of Empire is a touring exhibition co-created with community groups across Scotland and supported by Historic Environment Scotland. Exploring the enduring legacies of empire through themes of belonging, language, labour, memory and healing, the exhibition centres lived experience, community knowledge and creative storytelling.

As Exhibition Designer, I spent three seasons designing 28 interpretive panels, transforming extensive research, oral histories, archival materials and creative responses into an accessible and visually engaging visitor experience. Working closely with community contributors, researchers and project partners, I developed a design system that balanced historical complexity with clarity, ensuring diverse voices remained at the heart of the exhibition.

First launched at Glasgow Cathedral before touring Historic Environment Scotland sites across the country, the exhibition encourages visitors to reflect on Scotland's connections to empire and consider how heritage can create space for dialogue, understanding and collective healing. Through thoughtful interpretation and community-led narratives, Traces of Empire demonstrates how design can help make difficult histories more accessible, relevant and meaningful for contemporary audiences.

Services Delivered

• Exhibition Design

• Heritage Interpretation

• Information Design

• Community Engagement

• Editorial Design

• Accessibility & Visitor Experience Design