FORT WHYTE ALIVE – Soil Diorama
The soil diorama at FortWhyte Alive, originally designed in 1992 by diorama artist Betsy Thortienson, was refurbished in 2021. This landmark exhibit explores the history of Manitoba’s prairies, showcasing farming practices from Indigenous methods in the 1600s to today’s sustainable approach. The refurbishment included updating the text, illustrations and photographs, redesigning the panels with the application of corporate fonts and colours, and rewrapping existing wooden panels with freshly printed vinyl graphics. The glass cases of the dioramas were replaced and the exhibits were thoroughly cleaned and refurbished. New lighting was installed and a television was incorporated showing relevant videos. The dioramas were then photographed with a macro lens to create an interactive child-focused “Can You Find” feature. This project was completed in partnership with HTFC Planning and Design. 2023
The existing hanging wooden sections were removed, rewrapped, and reinstalled using their original structure.
Using a macro lens, beautiful photographs were taken of the tiny diorama features to produce a “Can You Find” activity for young visitors.
“Can you find” the red fox.
“Can you find” the house sparrow.
“Can you find” the ground plum seed pods. Photographs: Dave Swiecicki
Custom graphics were illustrated to teach soil cross-section.
