Smithsonian’s FUTURES Exhibit: Let’s talk public health this way!

​In this edition of "Let’s Talk Public Health This Way," we delve into the Welcome to the Futures exhibit at the Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building in Washington, DC. While not explicitly focused on public health, this exhibition serves as a compelling example of how health communication can transcend traditional boundaries.

Build a world we want to live in.

The "FUTURES" exhibition aims to provide visitors with a glimpse into the possibilities of the future, inspiring them to contribute to building a better world. The exhibit is divided into four halls, each with a unique theme. Each hall includes cutting-edge innovations that are designed to address various public health issues.

• The journey begins in the North Hall, showcasing innovations from previous generations. This historical perspective sets the stage for a broader exploration of the interconnectedness between the past, present, and future.
  
• The West Hall focuses on innovations contributing to a "healthier, happier world." From composting human remains to AI-powered farming rovers, the exhibit not only informs but also encourages visitors to envision their role in creating a more sustainable future.
  
• The South Hall emphasizes connection and collaboration and ties in very nicely with improving equity in healthcare. From community-based medical manufacturing labs to visual communication systems, the exhibits prompt visitors to reflect on the importance of interconnectedness in addressing social and health disparities.
  
• The East Hall challenges visitors to imagine the future landscape. Through concepts like climate-neutral floating cities and submarine housing, the exhibit sparks conversations about our collective responsibility for creating healthier and more sustainable built environments.

The exhibit's six types of interactive elements, including full-size prototypes, digital kiosks, sculptures, handwritten "action cards," and surveys, serve a dual purpose: allowing visitors to share their thoughts about the future and sharing that data with research firms and think tanks. The findings from the exhibit reveal essential insights for health communication for major public health issues like climate change:

1. Inspiration Over Fear: Emphasizing hope and inspiration left visitors feeling empowered and motivated to play a role in shaping a positive future.
2. Technology Over Human Cooperation: Emphasizing the technological solutions to major and complex public health issues tapped into optimism and belief in innovation and encouraged individual action.
3. Showing Over Telling: Enabling visitors to see real-life technological solutions allowed them to visualize their role in building the future.

The exhibit gathered over 1 million insights from 650,000 visitors.

Health communication as a two-way street. The exhibit provides an immersive and experiential format that not only imparts information but fosters a reciprocal exchange of ideas. Visitors actively engage with the exhibits, providing valuable insights and shaping ongoing conversations around some of today's most significant social and public health issues.

Comment below to tell us what you think about this exhibit and its potential for use in engaging communities around public health topics and issues.

By: Monique Thornton, MPH