At Museum in a Box we are always interested to hear people’s stories and learn about the places our boxes get to. One project that really caught our attention was the Lahaina Think Space This is a project in Maui, Hawaii, on the other side of the world from our base in Liverpool, UK. The Think Space has been established to help the Lahaina community rebuild after the terrible 2023 wildfires and we were privileged to make a small contribution to that important space.
“In April 2026, Maui Public Art Corps will host an interactive Think Space at Lahainaluna High School to demonstrate how community storytelling can directly inform civic planning. The pop-up exhibit showcases the collaborative Hui Mo‘olelo process, featuring existing public artworks, sound stations and short films that illustrate how recorded voices are successfully transformed into communal works of art. This proven methodology is now being applied to the research & development of the Lahaina Memorial project, inviting residents to share family stories and participate in public art. The Think Space operates on the foundational principle that before we build, we must first listen – and we build together.”
Opening the space with a traditional blessing led by Uncle Bill Garcia – Photo courtesy County of Maui
One aspect of the Think Space is “talk-story” recordings, relational, feeling-centered exchanges rooted in memory and connection, from
community members talking about Lahaina. Rich Tully from Tully Studios approached us to see if the box would work to present them. He uploaded short excerpts of the recordings for the box, and presented them alongside banners showing the contributors, and QR code links to longer recordings.
“There is something really special about your museum in a box that, for me, draws people in and helps break what could be a passive experience of listening (or a resistive knee jerk reaction to not wanting to listen) into an active experience, especially with giving people the choice of what to listen to. It also gives the person agency of how much to listen to and when to stop.”
– Rich Tully, Tully Studio
Visitors to the Think Space listening to community stories on Museum in a Box – Photo courtesy County of Maui
The story cards that activate the audio on the box are presented as wall hangings. This gives participants the opportunity to read an introduction to the voice before selecting which card to listen to next. Using headphones makes the experience more personal and doesn’t distract other visitors to the Think Space.
Listening to stories from the Lahaina community – Photo courtesy County of Maui
“The Museum in the Box was a big hit. It was a lot of fun to watch people to lay the story cards on the device and then see their surprise when the storyteller voices came through the headphones.”
– Rich Tully, Tully Studio
The recordings are available to listen to on our Heart website here and here
Museum in a Box works really well as a way of presenting recordings like these in settings all over the world. We were really impressed by the presentation at Think Space, combining the box, with banners and QR codes to give visitors choice in their interactions. The Think Space is a response to a very difficult period for the people of Lahaina and we are proud to see our tech used as a part of it. We wish the community all the best as they remember, reflect and rebuild.
“Museum in a Box is a tactile and unique way for the students to opt in to learning more, and at their own pace. It helps bridge a challenging subject with a pretty delightful activity.”
– Kelly White Chair, Maui Public Art Corps
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