Manufacturing Through Time

Project Authors: Yan Li, Erwin Ramirez, Jawad Shamim, Claire Kamali

This is a museum that showcases the history of manufacturing in the United States. There are five galleries, each representing an era of manufacturing: the colonial era, industrial revolution, assembly line era, wartime boom, and the modern age. As visitors walk through the museum, history unfolds before their eyes as the cotton gins and spinning wheels begin to disappear as more efficient technology enters the pictures. We want people to walk away with a deeper understanding of the innovations, working conditions, and societal impacts that emerged across key moments in history like the Industrial Revolution and World War 2.

In choosing this topic, our group was intrigued by how fundamental manufacturing has been in driving wider economic and social changes. We conducted research on each of the five eras of manufacturing to analyze how factory conditions, prominent inventions, and production methods changes throughout the colonial period, rise of automation, and modern breakthroughs. In the map layout, we also included rooms for events and virtual reality (VR) experiences where visitors are able to fully immerse themselves in the factory environment of the past. We also researched potential locations, staffing, and budget details to convincingly convey how this museum could come to life.

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