“Washington Behind
the Monuments,” an exhibition in the National Archives’
Circular Gallery on the history of Washington D.C., celebrated the
city’s bicentennial. The Circular Gallery is essentially a
wide curving corridor. We chose to “divide” the corridor
through the presentation of dual story lines facing one another
across the space: Washington as Federal City, arranged chronologically;
and Washington as Home, arranged thematically. The division was
reinforced by dual color schemes, typography, and frames, which
were harmonious as they faced one another yet distinct and appropriate
to their particular themes.