Tampa Bay History Center

Riggs Ward Design led interpretive planning, design, and oversaw fabrication for the Tampa Bay History Center’s third-floor redesign, creating three distinct exhibit areas: Travails and Triumphs: A Journey Through Tampa Bay’s Black History, The Citrus Grove, and The Reo Car. All exhibits are bilingual, in English and Spanish, and feature hands-on interactives, dynamic media, and high-quality scenic and graphic design that invite visitors to engage with the region’s history in meaningful ways.

Travails and Triumphs spans 500 years of Tampa Bay’s Black history, from early African-descended settlers in the 1500s, Black Seminole and maroon communities, civil rights champions, and the stories of overlooked local cemeteries. The exhibit is organized into five waypoints, each with a distinct aesthetic, allowing visitors to explore the experiences and resilience of Black residents across centuries.

The Citrus Grove and The Reo Car explore Florida’s citrus industry and the diverse cultural forces that shaped the region, including Seminole, Spanish, British, and farmworker contributions. Hands-on interactives allow visitors to explore the growth of groves, the development of the tourism industry, and the daily lives of those who cultivated the land. These spaces combine immersive storytelling, interactive elements, and thoughtful design to create educational and engaging experiences for audiences of all ages.