Set In Stone: creative interaction for the youngest visitors

Business context

Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago is a respected educational institution that attracts around 300,000 visitors each year. The museum is known for its interactive exhibitions that spark children’s curiosity and imagination while supporting the development of creative thinking.

In response to the growing role of digital technologies, the museum wanted to enrich the visitor experience with an engaging, modern element. The goal was to combine play with educational value and create a keepsake that could be easily shared with loved ones, while remaining fully aligned with the institution’s mission.

Challenge

The key challenge was to design an application that would naturally combine entertainment with an educational component and genuinely support children’s creativity. The interaction had to be immediate and intuitive, so that the youngest users could explore the tool independently during their visit, without lengthy onboarding.

In addition, it was necessary to provide a simple mechanism for creating a personalised keepsake and sharing it seamlessly by email. The solution had to run reliably on iPads available throughout the museum, while also fitting the institution’s aesthetic and standards, reinforcing the consistency of the overall exhibition experience.

Solution

Using iOS technologies, the Leaware team developed the Set In Stone app for iPad. It allows users to take a photo and then integrate their face into the image of a marble statue. The finished creation can be sent by email, enabling visitors to take away a unique digital keepsake from their visit.

The interface was designed with children in mind: clear steps, large navigation elements and a fast creation flow encourage independence and fun. The app adds an interactive dimension to the exhibition while stimulating creative experimentation and problem-solving in a friendly, safe environment.

The development process was based on iterations using observations of user behaviour and feedback from parents. As a result, the product was refined in terms of usability and appeal, better fulfilling the museum’s goal of strengthening curiosity, creativity and the joy of discovery.