100 years of Schiphol airport

In the past 100 years Schiphol grew from a muddy meadow into one of world’s most important airports. Amsterdam Museum asked NorthernLight to create an interactive exhibition that would highlight all important parts of Schiphol’s history while appealing to people of all ages. With the exhibition Amsterdam Museum wants to position itself as a true family museum.

In a sequence of four galleries, important parts of the history of Schiphol are shown. In each gallery the objects and interior reinforce each other, immersing visitors in different periods of time and development. Visitors walk from a 1916 polder landscape, through a sleek modernist sixties airport interior and a modern day control tower, into a poetic future landscape.The exhibition answers questions everyone wonders about from time-to-time: What happens behind the luggage belt? How does immigration work? What do people working in the air control tower do?

The atmosphere and appearance make the exhibition suitable and interesting for people of all ages. Each gallery is designed with different age groups in mind. There is room for play, interaction and objects can be touched. Take a seat in the customs booth and decide if the passenger can pass, finish a large jigsaw map of the airport and see the lights of the runway turn on, play an airport controller game and move your arms to fly an airplane and ride a luggage belt rollercoaster.