The solar system is big, visual and packed with quite a lot of questions that don’t come with quick answers. That’s exactly what makes it so intriguing. In this unknown realm, planets and stars become tools for thinking; about gravity, time, and about what we still don’t know.
From Sioux Falls to the Stars: Kirby’s Bold New Space Exhibit
At the Kirby Science Discovery Center in Sioux Falls, a new exhibition presents a convincing case of pulling people into that orbit of discovery. Space Explorers: Mission Infinity is an immersive experience that puts visitors in the astronaut’s seat on a mission through the cosmos.
Immersive Design Meets Real-World Science
formula D_’s studio in North America approached this project with the idea of merging immersive environments and real-world science to inspire curiosity, critical thinking and a lifelong interest in STEM.
With a growing portfolio of U.S. based science centers and museum experiences, formula D_’s work focuses on making science interactive, engaging and fun.
Wayne LaBar, Vice President of formula D_ in North America, puts it this way:
“What excites us about Mission Infinity is how it came together. The end product relied on a strong collaboration between experience designers, engineers, astronauts, educators, and the Kirby team to shape something meaningful for visitors in South Dakota, and from all over the world. That kind of process is where experiential design really proves its value; in translating the complex ideas of space exploration into something relevant and memorable.”
Hands-On Astronomy: Learning Through Play and Scale
From large-scale interactive exhibits to problem-solving missions and simulated spacewalks, the exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to explore and research the solar system. The experience is packed with moments that encourage STEM curiosity and critical thinking across generations.
One of exhibit offers something familiar – basketballs. Or rather, planets scaled to the size of basketballs. Earth becomes something you can hold in one hand and of course, Jupiter as the largest planet in the solar system dominates the room and stretches a full ten feet wide.
The experience is an invitation to think with your body. To use movement, scale, and spatial awareness to make sense of concepts that are usually abstract. It’s an invitation to engage spatial reasoning to grasp planetary scale, distance, and mass through direct participation. When visitors encounter and grasp physical references in relation to themselves, they start to map relationships with their bodies. This is central to how people, especially children, make sense of complex topics.
Why Experiential Design Transforms Science Education
Space exploration has always been a powerful entry point into STEM. It’s where curiosity, imagination and science converge. What Mission Infinity does well is take that inspiration and build it into an experience that’s both entertaining and educational.
A Space Mission for All Ages
Throughout the exhibition, each zone is designed to feel like you’re an astronaut on a mission – training, launching, exploring, and returning. It’s cool and playful – kids learn how to steer a rover, and adults can test their balance in a microgravity challenge.
Experiential design plays a critical role in shaping museum environments where learning happens through participation, testing ideas, navigating choices and physically engaging with content. The result is not just another exhibit. It’s a full-body science experience that takes you from Earth to space – and brings you back with a new way of seeing both.
