The Dublin-based design pros at Roto are about to flip the script on what a museum can be.
After decades of designing jaw-dropping exhibits for places like the Smithsonian, COSI, and even Google, they’re bringing their magic home with a brand-new concept: Prototype, a 30,000-square-foot “experimental museum” set to open later this year on the Whittier Peninsula.
Prototype is designed as a bold, ever-changing playground for grown-ups. With six massive staging rooms, a full bar, and flexible spaces that will constantly evolve, every visit will feel different from the last.
“Prototype is where edgy meets experimental,” said Dana Russell, Roto’s VP of brand and culture. “It’s designed for adults seeking something bold and provocative.”
What can you expect?
The space will host immersive collaborations with BalletMet, Champaign Aviation Museum, and Taiwan’s Meimage Dance, along with a rotating lineup of new works shaped by local artists, technologists, and even visitors themselves. The museum is meant to be a living experiment, guided by the people who experience it.
Even the exterior is getting its own dramatic art façade, which crews began installing this month. Test groups will get a sneak peek this fall, with the full public opening on track for late 2025.
Roto’s founder, Joseph Wisne, sees it as just the beginning: “Opening Prototype isn’t the end of a project. It’s the start of a bold new experiment.”
Columbus is about to get a museum experience unlike anything we’ve seen before in Ohio, and personally, I can’t wait. To learn more, head over to prototype.org.
