Dimensional Innovations, the prime experiential exhibit contractor for the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, announced its role in bringing to life one of the most ambitious cultural destinations ever built in the American west. The 31,000-square-foot presidential galleries, part of the nearly 100,000-square-foot, $450 million campus in Medora, North Dakota, officially opened July 4, inviting visitors into a deeply immersive journey through the life, legacy, and impact of America’s 26th president.
Designed as a series of eight experiential “Chapter Galleries” connected by a central spine, the exhibits unfold like a living biography. Each chapter explores a defining era of Roosevelt’s story — from his childhood and formative years in the North Dakota Badlands to the battlefields of the Spanish-American War, the Oval Office, and his lifelong devotion to the natural world. Through bold storytelling, tactile environments, and orchestrated layers of media and technology, the experience invites guests to step directly into the world that shaped Roosevelt and that he went on to change.
“As we set out to honor someone as dynamic and multi-faceted as Theodore Roosevelt, we knew the exhibit experience needed to be equally ambitious,” said Edward F. O’Keefe, CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. “Dimensional Innovations’ ability to orchestrate complex fabrication, technology, and storytelling elevated this project beyond a traditional museum. The result is a living, breathing embodiment of Roosevelt’s life, one that invites participants to celebrate both the man and the nation he helped define.”
Dimensional Innovations led the management and oversight of the experiential exhibit program, collaborating closely with a wide network of creative and technical partners. The firm worked alongside VLS for lighting integration and Electrosonic, which directed and engineered the audiovisual design and integration throughout the galleries. Scenic fabrication partners included Blue Rhino Studios, Split Rock Studios and B Morrow Productions, whose craftsmanship helped shape the physical environments that anchor the narrative.
“Hundreds of talented designers, engineers, storytellers, and fabricators poured their expertise into this project,” said Tucker Trotter, CEO of Dimensional Innovations. “To help bring Roosevelt’s world to life, more than 115 years after he left office, is an extraordinary honor. We’re thrilled to see visitors stepping into these galleries and experiencing the energy, grit, and imagination that defined one of America’s most influential leaders.”
The project also reflects the vision and leadership of several key contributors, including Snøhetta and JLG (architects), Local Projects (exhibit and media designer), JE Dunn (general contractor), and Future of StoryTelling (executive creative directors and storytellers). Media partners RLMG, Cortina and Redglass played essential roles in shaping the digital and cinematic layers of the experience.å
