MCN 2026

For an upcoming exhibition on the artist Piet Mondrian, MoMA is using digital technology to present conservation research that unfolds some of the major narratives and questions of the exhibition: how did Mondrian's migration to New York affect his art; why did he revise and double-date artworks that he had 'finished' in Europe; and what does it mean to make a painting, in his words, "more Boogie Woogie". This work has involved a number of creative challenges: Technical, very specific research findings need to be moulded into engaging narratives that can be appreciated by a broad range of audiences, satisfy different preferred learning modalities, and navigate areas where knowledge is theoretical and incomplete clearly. In an age rife with digital misinformation, it is especially important that museums speak to people effectively and confidently. This session will cover the creative and educational approaches we took to address these challenges and excavate for visitors another fascinating layer of Mondrian’s life and work.




We’ll also speak to some of the considerations from the design and technology perspective. Using AI-assisted rapid prototyping to minimize development time, creating reusable templates that are easy for content creators to deploy, building in flexibility in the form of modes and overrides that allow the interactive to serve the bespoke needs of particular narratives or exhibitions.




Though the Mondrian interactive is the star of this particular session, we’ll also speak to our broader effort to develop our suite of digital interactives - publications, chronologies, 3d views, geographic stories, music, conservation stories and more. We’re also looking into a system of lightweight experiences like trivia and treasure hunts made for special events. Our ultimate aim, like many of our peer institutions, is to be able to build a sustainable roster of digital interactives that can disseminate knowledge, delight visitors, and be adaptable enough to tell the many, many stories that need to be told at our museum in a sustainable way.