EXPERT INSIGHTS featuring Jonathan Goldstein
Unforgettable by Design: Creating Moments that Last
Sept. 19, 2025
Turning Moments to Memories
What makes an experience unforgettable? Is it the rush of surprise, a spark of joy, or the comfort of something strangely familiar? As museum professionals, we aim to create those kinds of moments—the ones visitors carry with them long after they’ve left the building. But how do you actually design for that? How do you plan for something that feels unplanned, emotional, and lasting?
We spoke with Jonathan Goldstein, Design Principal at Skyhouse Studio, to explore how he and his team approach this challenge—and how other designers can think more deeply about crafting spaces that truly resonate.
“Unforgettable moments usually have one thing in common: they’re charged. They’re filled with feeling. Whether it’s the wonder of discovering something new or the rush of overcoming a challenge, those emotions make the memory stick.”
Designing for Nostalgia
Think back to your childhood. What’s a memory that’s burned into your brain—something you’ll never forget? This is where Jonathan starts. “When you think back to your childhood, can you remember a day, a moment, something that you just know you’ll never forget?” he asks. These kinds of memories often rise to the top because of the emotions attached to them—intense joy, awe, fear, pride, even embarrassment.
Unforgettable moments usually have one thing in common: they’re charged. They’re filled with feeling. Whether it’s the wonder of discovering something new or the rush of overcoming a challenge, those emotions make the memory stick. Jonathan challenges us to think: How do we design exhibits that create those kinds of moments?
Directing the Unforgettable
Creating unforgettable experiences, Jonathan explains, is a balancing act. On one hand, you have your client’s goals, practical constraints, and the broader mission of the institution. On the other, you have your own creative instincts—the deeper themes and emotional tones you want to explore.
Jonathan compares this role to that of a film director. “There are always parameters—a plot to follow, characters to develop, or a greater canon to stay within. But within that, great directors bring their own perspective, their own interests and themes they want to explore.”
This mindset is baked into how Jonathan and his team operate. Clients come to them for more than just standard exhibits—they want something extraordinary. Something that surprises. Something that feels. And to deliver that, Jonathan says, you need to design with intention—infusing each experience with deeper meaning, whether it’s helping guests understand the natural world or bringing clarity to a complex concept.
“If we start with the feeling, everything else starts to fall into place. It puts all the other considerations—safety, education, layout—into a new perspective”
Feelings Focused
Another one of Jonathan’s analogies drives the point home: imagine you’re playing baseball. You can either focus on the fastball coming toward you… or focus on what it feels like to connect perfectly with the ball—that moment of hitting a line drive or home run.
When designing for experience, Jonathan argues, the same applies: focus on the feeling you want to create. That emotional core should guide your decisions. “If we start with the feeling, everything else starts to fall into place,” he says. “It puts all the other considerations—safety, education, layout—into a new perspective.”
This isn’t to say those other factors aren’t important. They are. But by leading with emotion, designers can craft more intentional, resonant spaces. And in doing so, we move closer to creating those unforgettable, memory-making moments.
“Even within constraints, we can find ways to infuse meaning, spark curiosity, and build something that leaves a lasting emotional mark.”
Bringing It All Together
Getting started can feel overwhelming, especially when so many factors are at play—timelines, budgets, institutional goals, outside expectations. But Jonathan offers a grounding piece of advice that brings everything back into focus: “Truthfully and honestly ask yourself—would I want to come back and do this again? See it again? Feel it again?”
It’s a simple gut-check, but a powerful one. It helps cut through the clutter and reconnects you to the heart of the work: creating something worth experiencing more than once.
In the fast-paced world of museum planning and exhibit development, it’s easy to default to what’s safe or expected. But Jonathan reminds us that we still have room to be bold. Even within constraints, we can find ways to infuse meaning, spark curiosity, and build something that leaves a lasting emotional mark. That’s the kind of work that doesn’t just fill a gallery—it fills a memory.
