After serving the Portland area for nearly a century, The Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine looked to SMS for modern audio-visual systems, setting the stage for the next hundred years of multidisciplinary and experiential learning.
In 2008, Maddy’s Theater, once known as the Children’s Theatre of Maine and the oldest continuously operating children’s theater in the United States, merged with the Children’s Museum of Maine. In 2021, the combined organization opened a brand new, 30,000 square foot facility in Portland—one in need of AV fit for the times.
A brand new, state of the art facility demanded state of the art audio visual systems. Working from a blank slate, SMS partnered with the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine to design the right systems for the new space, outfitting it with custom audio, lighting, and projection.
One of The Museum and Theatre’s flagship exhibits is Beautiful Black Bird, an immersive experience that welcomes visitors into the world of Ashley Bryan’s acclaimed children’s book. In it, visitors can dance with Blackbird, share stories, and create artwork as part of Maine’s first gesture animation exhibit. As part of the systems build, SMS installed some of the tech for BBB, bringing the concept to life.
Whether you know just the kind of system you’re looking for or need some help figuring it out, we’re here to help. Get in touch, and we’ll set up a preliminary call to discuss your thoughts and strategize a path forward.
