GRAMMY Museum Experience

EXPERIENTIAL, FUTURE-FOCUSED APPROACH TO DESIGN & DELIVERY

The GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center shares in the mission of GRAMMY nationwide—to explore and celebrate the enduring legacies of all forms of music; the creative process; the art and technology of the recording process; and the history of the GRAMMY Awards, with a focus on the continuing achievements of New Jersey-born artists. 

The design challenge? Execute the idea of a sequential experience throughout the museum. KSS optimized the architecture and form to support this experiential concept. Collaborating with a Design Architect located in LA, KSS generated digital models of the existing interior space in the Prudential Center so as to design casework tailored for all three dimensions. 

The exhibits feature a fusion of interactive technology and musical instruments—from timelines that slide to drums and guitars, karaoke, and a recording booth—all positioned to revitalize the community and inspire local music innovators.

Maximizing value. Very early in the design process KSS identified a two-story volume in the existing available space, which we strongly recommended become the rotating exhibit gallery. This required a complete redesign of the plan, but resulted in a much more appropriate use of this architectural feature. 

Attracting visitors. We also focused design impact on the exterior marquee, with the parallel goals of attracting visitors and layering in to the existing arena facade. We found that a back-lit acrylic frame could offer iconic visibility at night, while blending in with existing metallic finishes during the day. A protrusion of glass into the sidewalk also catches the eye of visitors approaching on the oblique, without changing the elevation at all.

Seamless delivery. KSS brought to the table a solid relationship with the Newark building department and shepherded the drawings through permitting with no comments or changes. This allows for a rapid and smooth delivery process that expressed the design intent to the fullest extent. The result? A national center and flagship celebration of the GRAMMY brand on the East Coast.