In 2022 HWE joined with the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) to develop a new exhibit called Kentucky’s Women Veterans for their temporary gallery. An important collaborator for the project was Honor Flight Kentucky (HFK), an organization dedicated to honoring veterans with all-expenses paid trips to memorials in Washington, DC. The exhibit used the careers and significant contributions of approximately 26 women veterans to explore the themes of Strength and Resilience, Innovation and Adaptation, and Civic Duty and Ambition, within the context of their lives and other experiences rooted in Kentucky. The exhibit focused of veterans and their families who served during the 20th and 21st centuries and highlighted how women from Kentucky’s many different geographic, economic, and cultural backgrounds contributed to the evolution of the United States Armed Forces through their participation, dedication, and determination. 

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HWE worked with KHS to plan, design, fabricate and install the exhibits. In addition, we provided editorial guidance for content. Our designs include 22 biography blades to introduce visitors to the veterans discussed in the exhibit. We designed a unique system of temporary walls to create three distinct interpretive zones that explore why women joined, the rough road to acceptance, and the return to civilian life. Audio-stations, simple hands-on interactives, video presentations, and a moving leave a message station provide guests with the opportunity to make deeper connections to the stories.