
Christina Lyons has overseen FIT’s master’s level Exhibition and Experience Design program since 2016. Newsroom sat down with Lyons to chat with her about the 2024 capstone projects and how these projects prepare FIT’s students for their next steps into industry and the job market.
The School of Graduate Studies’ Exhibition and Experience Design program is different from other similar programs. How would you describe it?
The Exhibition and Experience Design (EED) program emphasizes collaboration and interdisciplinary experimentation—taking a holistic approach to teaching the design of exhibitions and experiences across a variety of settings, including corporate and retail environments, entertainment and hospitality venues, interactive digital and virtual experiences, signage and wayfinding, events, expos, museums, and public spaces. Students are equipped to design across this diverse array of project types by embracing a conceptual design process centered on enhancing the visitor experience.
The program combines psychological principles with research-driven storytelling to develop a profound understanding of the audience’s and client’s unique needs and goals—embodying the essence of the department’s guiding philosophy. We view exhibitions and the design of spaces and environments as transformative, immersive experiences that engage the senses, communicate meaningful narratives, and inspire learning and reflection.
The EED program is structured around fieldwork, studio practice, research, and thesis development—integrating various design disciplines such as spatial design, experiential graphics, lighting, multimedia, and production. Students develop technical skills while working collaboratively across diverse sectors, gaining hands-on experience and expertise to create impactful, multi-sensory experiences. Graduates are fully prepared to work in a variety of venues, our goal is to equip graduates with the ability to pivot across all areas of the profession throughout their careers.
Our program culminates with an independent thesis project, where students apply their design, research, writing, and critical thinking skills. This includes both a final design project and an academic paper. The design projects are showcased at the annual thesis capstone event, where students present their work to over 100 distinguished industry professionals who are invited to spend the day at FIT, engaging with students and faculty for an in-depth review of the projects.

You mentioned the annual thesis capstones, which happened in December 2024. Tell us about what stood out at this year’s presentations.
The 2024 capstone graduate projects were remarkable in both vision and impact. Each student addressed complex and pressing issues with thoughtfulness and precision, and each project conveyed a powerful narrative showcasing the transformative potential of design to influence positive change.
Among the many diverse topics presented, students examined the potential of consumer and brand relationships, developed an innovative support system for survivors of domestic abuse, uncovered historic practices of world expos, reimagined how exhibitions can travel and engage communities, and designed inclusive educational environments that foster greater accessibility.
Are there a couple of examples of capstone projects that speak to the philosophy of the department and its goals?
The faculty of the EED department are experts in aligning each and every thesis project with the department’s core philosophy. Many of these projects are deeply personal to the students, often involving intricate and complex topics that require exceptional focus, effort, and individualized dedication from the thesis faculty during the semester. Each design project is supported by a comprehensive scholarly academic paper, typically spanning 100 to 150 pages, which includes months of research, case studies, prototyping, evaluation, and expert interviews.
Although these thesis papers are not presented during the capstone event, this research is meticulously applied and tested—ensuring that the rigor and significance of the research is reflected in the final design outcomes. The success is measured through feedback from industry judges, who assess the projects using a digital rubric—providing scores, comments, and suggestions for both students and faculty. Several of these students are in the process of preparing their thesis work for academic publication and upcoming presentations. Additionally, evaluating career opportunities resulting from their successful capstone presentations. The final thesis papers will be published on ProQuest, in FIT’s Institutional Repository, and on the EED website.

How do these projects prepare students for their next step into industry and the job market?
The thesis projects are designed to align with industry-standard processes and outcomes. Each student presents comprehensive, professional-level drawings and documentation of their exhibition experience, which will include graphic and lighting design, renderings, technology integration, physical models, and a detailed research, concept and design development document. The primary focus is on the student’s ability to craft a compelling and coherent narrative, ensuring this storyline is maintained consistently throughout every phase of the design process. Critical to this evaluation is the student’s understanding of the client, venue, audience, and, most importantly, the visitor experience.
In addition to the capstone thesis semester, the curriculum provides students with an internship as well as hands-on experience through the “Design Partnership” semester. During this semester, students engage in real-world semester-long projects for actual clients, allowing them to apply their skills to diverse sectors within exhibition and experience design—this includes a museum client, wayfinding and placemaking, as well as retail and experiential branding client. Over the course of three semester-long client sponsored projects, students collaborate directly with clients to develop design solutions that address practical challenges. They also familiarize themselves with the specific terminology and nuances in deliverables required by each sector. Throughout these projects, students add valuable portfolio pieces, industry contacts and experiences equipping them with the versatility to transition across different sectors throughout their careers.
These graduate capstone students of 2024 participated in three semester-long projects this past spring with: Gotham Park, the revitalization of the community park under the Brooklyn bridge on the Manhattan side; exhibition design for the Rubin Museum; and a experiential brand activation project for Pinnacle Design and their client Aeefla (a partnership between Sony and Honda).
Learn more about Exhibition and Experience Design at fitnyc.edu/eed. Find the 2024 capstone projects on the Exhibition and Experience Design website. You can also find examples of other Exhibition and Experience Design partnership projects.