How Did Cardboard Transform the National Museum’s Visitor Experience?

How Did Cardboard Transform the National Museum’s Visitor Experience?

Mr Squiggle Activation: The Moonbeam Café

Client: National Museum of Australia

Location: Canberra, ACT

The Client

The National Museum of Australia tells the stories that shape our country through exhibitions, events, and cultural icons. For their Mr Squiggle exhibition, they approached Cardboard Mill to help bring the beloved puppet character to life in the Museum’s main atrium.

Their goal? Extend the joy of the exhibition beyond the gallery walls and into a public-facing, interactive space that welcomed visitors of all ages.

The Brief

Create a space that felt like stepping into Mr Squiggle’s world fun and creative. The Museum wanted something that:

  • Welcomed families and children into a playful area
  • Encouraged lingering, creativity, and interaction
  • Themed their coffee caravan to align with the exhibition
  • Could be installed quickly and responsibly
  • Aligned with their values of accessibility and sustainability

The challenge: Design, produce, and install everything including large-scale structures, in under three weeks.

Our Approach

We started with the art. Working directly from Norman Hetherington’s original Mr Squiggle illustrations, we collaborated with digital artist Sophie White to develop vibrant themed wraps that could be adapted across the space from arches to furniture details.

Key Design Features:

  • Flatpack Entry Arch (5m wide x 4m high): Built with our signature interlocking cardboard joinery, this large-scale entry point became the visual anchor of the activation.
  • Themed Coffee Caravan Wrap: Cladding transformed the existing coffee cart into a travelling Squiggle café, complete with a secondary custom archway (3m x 3.4m) designed by CM designer to frame the van.
  • Colouring & Photo Wall:
  • Visitors were invited to colour directly on a giant printed wall a hands-on moment that added creativity, and dwell time to the experience.
  • Cardboard Café Fitout: Tables, chairs, and shelving were custom-printed and cut to carry the exhibition branding and serve the coffee vans needs.
  • Photo Prop Cutouts & Wayfinding: We created 2D photo cutouts and signage using kiss-cut and embossed squiggles to cleverly cover seams and add delightful finishing touches.

Technical Challenges & Innovations

Precision Planning:

The original concept artwork needed to be reverse-engineered into 50+ uniquely shaped panels each one precisely measured, cut, and aligned for a seamless wrap over curved surfaces.

Flatpack Engineering:

All structures were designed for efficient install, pin-and-slot joinery allowed the entire activation to be assembled in situ by a three-person team in just one day.

Sustainable Execution:

95% of the materials remain with the Museum to be reused in future installations, a long-lasting impact for a short-term exhibition.

The Result

The atrium was transformed from a public thoroughfare into a joyful, immersive extension of the exhibition. Families lingered longer, coloured together, took photos.

The National Museum team were thrilled. The activation became a standout feature of the Mr Squiggle experience not just supporting the exhibition, but enhancing it.

Lasting Value

This project is a perfect example of how creative, low-waste design can deliver high-impact, high-engagement results. What started as a temporary installation is now a reusable asset for the Museum offering continued value and delight, well beyond opening day.


Back to blog