Crossroad and Connections

Riggs Ward Design created Crossroads and Connections, an exhibition at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin, showcasing the Center’s extensive music collections. The design translates the Center’s rich archives into an engaging, accessible experience that celebrates the musical heritage of Texas and the United States.

The exhibition highlights more than 50,000 commercial and field recordings spanning genres from traditional cowboy songs to hip-hop. It features the work of local, national, and internationally recognized musicians, including Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson, and Ian McLagan. The exhibits reflect the Center’s identity as an active and creative research institution, offering visitors insight into its collections, scholarship, and public programs.

RWD incorporated multiple interactive stations that allow visitors to experience the music collection on site. The design combines artifact displays, interpretive graphics, and engaging media to create a memorable and immersive experience that resonates with a diverse audience, raises awareness of research opportunities, and elevates the Center’s public profile.