Where does all that fun, curious  stuff in museums come from?
Here’s a backstage tour that  surveys one studio’s origins, history,  and creative output.
Click BIO to trace themes in Jeff’s life that  matured into a creative career.

The exhibitions listed below trace a career spanning some 42 years and 77 projects.

Much gratitude to the many who helped bring this to life.

2007 –

Lady JusticeLady Justice

20th Circuit Court, Ottawa County, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – April 2014

USS FlierUSS Flier

USS Silversides Submarine Museum, Muskegon, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – Memorial Day 2013

Auto MechanicsAuto Mechanics

Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – April 2012

Saylorville Visitor CenterSaylorville Lake Visitor Center

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, Saylorville Lake, IA
exhibition design & technical fabrication – October 2012

Franklin Motor Car CollectionFranklin Motor Car Collection

Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – May 2010

Eagle Nest Lake Visitor CenterEagle Nest Lake Visitor Center

New Mexico State Parks, Santa Fe, NM
exhibition design & fabrication – August 2009

Edwin Carter MuseumEdwin Carter Museum

Breckenridge Heritage Alliance, Breckenridge, CO
exhibition design & fabrication – March 2009

Gilmore Car MuseumGilmore Car Museum

Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
exhibition design – March 2002 to February 2008

Sit Down at Sloan MuseumSit Down

Sloan Museum, Flint, MI
exhibition design & fabrication — Labor Day 2007

Kalamazoo Valley MuseumHistory Gallery

Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Kalamazoo, MI
concept design & plan – July 2006 to April 2007

2001 – 2007

Netherlands GalleryNetherlands Gallery

Holland Museum, Holland, MI
exhibition design – April 2007

Space ExperienceSpace Experience

Air Zoo, Kalamazoo, MI
masterplanning, exhibition design & fabrication – June 2007

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee National Grassland Visitor CenterPawnee National Grassland Visitor Center

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest US Forest Service, Ft. Collins CO
exhibition design & technical fabrication – December 2006

Collecting A to Z Collecting A to Z

Public Museum of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, MI
exhibition design – January 2005

El Pilar Mayan Site BelizeEL Pilar Mayan Site, Belize

Meso-American Research Center, Prof. Anabel Ford, UC Santa Barbara
interpretive planning on site, with Frederick Usher – April 2004

SKY ENTRY, MISSIONS THEATER, and SENTINELS AT SEA Sky Entry, Missions Theater, & Sentinels at Sea

Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Center, Portage, MI
exhibition design & scenic treatments – May 2004

Justice Learning CenterJustice Learning Center

Michigan Supreme Court, Lansing, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – October 2002

The Magic HeartThe Magic Heart – Thoracic Park

Discovery Center Science Museum, Fort Collins, CO
exhibition design & fabrication – July 2002

Detroit Science CenterDetroit Science Center

Detroit Science Center Masterplanning & Concept, Detroit, MI
renovation masterplanning & conceptual exhibition design – July 2001

Solve It CentralSolve-It Central

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Ann Arbor, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – April 2001

1998 – 2000

Rounhouse Backshop Greenfield VillageRoundhouse Backshop, Greenfield Village

The Henry Ford, Dearborn, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – June 2000

The Healer WithinThe Healer Within

Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville MO
exhibition design & fabrication – January 2000

Belle Isle Nature Center Exhibition DesignBelle Isle Nature Center Exhibition

Belle Isle Nature Center, Detroit, MI
exhibition design – August 1999

Big Sioux Riverbanks, Peak Performance & Digital DiscoveriesBig Sioux Riverbanks, Peak Performance, & Digital Discoveries June 1999

Kirby Science Discovery Center, Washington Pavilion of Arts & Science
Sioux Falls, SD – exhibition design – June 1999

Emmet, Heritage & Hurst Discovery AreasEmmet, Heritage & Hurst Discovery Areas

Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – December 1998

Mars Pathfinder MissionMars Pathfinder Mission

Michigan Space & Science Center, Jackson, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – October 1998

Southern Environmental CenterSouthern Environmental Center

Birmingham Southern College, Birmingham, AL
masterplanning & exhibition design – September 1998

Ambulatory CareAmbulatory Care Center

Battle Creek Health System, Battle Creek, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – February 1998

Salt of the EarthSalt of the Earth

Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – February 1998

Michigan Space and Science CenterMichigan Space and Science Center

Michigan Space and Science Center, Jackson, MI
renovation masterplan & exhibition design – January 1998

1994 – 1997

Automotive Hall of FameAutomotive Hall of Fame

Automotive Hall of Fame, Dearborn, MI
renovation masterplan & conceptual design – August 1997

How We Live With the SunHow We Live With the Sun

Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, AZ
exhibition design & technical fabrication – April 1997

Nature Up CloseNature Up Close

Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo, MI
renovation masterplan, exhibition design & fabrication – April 1997

Mind Body HealthMind, Body, Health

Fetzer Institute, Kalamazoo, MI
conceptual design – December 1996

Jim Crow MuseumJim Crow Museum

Ferris State University, Prof. David Pilgrim, Big Rapids, MI
planning & concept development – April 1996

The Great Tomato WorksThe Great Tomato Works

Lake Metroparks Farmpark, Kirtland, Ohio
exhibition design & fabrication – July 1995

Seeder Memorial Holocaust TorahSeeder Memorial Holocaust Torah

Congregation of Moses, Kalamazoo, MI
exhibition design & fabrication – June 1995

Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa FLMOSI Tampa, Florida

MOSI — Museum of Science & Industry, Tampa, Florida
masterplan consulting – October 1993 to December 1994

Hall of IdeasHall of Ideas

Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
renovation masterplanning & exhibition design – November 1994

Rain Forest Aerial TramRain Forest Aerial Tram

Docel Corp., San Jose, Costa Rica
interpretive programming & exhibition design – October 1994

The Gift of Rights to ChildrenThe Gift of Rights to Children

UNICEF, United Nations, New York, NY
exhibition design – August 1994

Jeff Bernstein Exhibition Design, Inc. incorporated in Michigan in June, 1994.
Before that, Jeff Bernstein had been a partner in Rogow + Bernstein, a Los Angeles based exhibition design and fabrication firm established in May, 1977.

1990 – 1994

Thunderstorm DetectivesThunderstorm Detectives

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO
exhibition design & technical fabrication — December, 1993

Exhibition Development Symposium

The Henry Ford, Dearborn, MI
lectures on exhibition design — August, 1993

National Post Museum

National Postal Museum

National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
masterplanning & conceptual exhibition design — July, 1993

The Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum Core Exhibition

The Jewish Museum, New York, NY
masterplanning & exhibition design, June, 1993

Holocaust Museum Houston

Holocaust Museum Houston

Holocaust Museum, Houston, TX
masterplanning & conceptual exhibition design — June, 1993

Local History Exhibition & Willard C. Wichers Gallery

Local History Exhibition & Willard C. Wichers GAllery

Holland Museum, Holland, MI
exhibition design & fabrication — December, 1992

Chattahoochee Riverwalk

Chattahoochee Riverwalk

Uptown Columbus, Columbus, GA
exhibition design & fabrication — Columbus Day, 1992

Experimentarium

Experimentarium

Experimentarium, Copenhagen, Denmark
masterplanning & conceptual exhibition design — January, 1991

Familia Y Fe

Familia Y Fe

International Museum of Folk Art, Santa Fe, NM
exhibition design — November, 1990

Saint Louis Zoo Exhibits

Saint Louis Zoo, Forest Park, Saint Louis, MO
exhibition design — July, 1990

Information Age

Information Age

National Museum of American History
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
masterplanning & exhibition design — May, 1990

1985 – 1989

Mission Inn Galleria

Mission Inn Galleria

Mission Inn Foundation, Riverside, CA
exhibition design & fabrication — May, 1989

Boyce Thompson

Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum

Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, Superior, AZ
exhibition design & fabrication — May, 1988

Hands-On Physics

Hands-On Physics

Science Place, Fair Park, Dallas, TX
exhibition design & fabrication — May, 1988

Bicentennial Riverwalk

Bicentennial Riverwalk

Cincinnati Bicentennial Commission, Cincinnati, OH
exhibition design — April, 1988

Santa Ana Zoo

Santa Ana Zoo

City of Santa Ana, CA
exhibition design — March, 1988

Huntington Library Exhibition Hall

Huntington Library Exhibition Hall

The Huntington, San Marino, CA
exhibition design & fabrication — December, 1987

Systematica

Systematica

Louisville Museum of History and Science, Louisville, KY
exhibition design & fabrication — August, 1987

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

National Park Service (regional office), Anchorage, AK
exhibition design — May, 1987

Tide Pool & Chaparral Communities

Tide Pool & Chaparral Communities

U.S. Department of the Interior, San Diego, CA
exhibition design — October, 1986

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

National Park Service, Washington, DC
exhibition design & graphic production — May, 1986

Sesame Place

Sesame Place

Children’s Television Workshop and Busch Entertainment Corp., St. Louis, MO
water feature design & fabrication — May, 1985

1981 – 1984

Sea Center

Sea Center

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA
masterplan & conceptual exhibition design — November, 1984

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA
conceptual exhibition design — October, 1984

Computerworks

Computerworks

California Museum of Science & Industry, Los Angeles, CA
exhibition design & fabrication — August, 1984

Ted Shanks Wildlife Management Area Visitors Center

Ted Shanks Wildlife Management Area Visitors Center

State of Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO
exhibition design & fabrication — July, 1984

First Interstate Athletic Foundation Sports Museum

First Interstate Athletic Foundation Sports Museum

First Interstate Bank Athletic Foundation, Los Angeles, CA
exhibition design & fabrication — June, 1984

Falls of the Ohio

Falls of the Ohio

Louisville Museum of History and Science, Louisville, KY
exhibition design — April, 1984

Chips & Changes

Chips & Changes

Association of Science – Technology Centers, Washington, DC
exhibition design & fabrication — March, 1984

Burr Oak Woods Nature Center

Burr Oak Woods Nature Center

State of Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO
exhibition design & fabrication — September, 1983

California Museum of Science & Industry

California Museum of Science & Industry

California Museum of Science & Industry, Los Angeles, CA
renovation masterplan — August, 1983

Science Activity Center

Science Activity Center

California Museum of Science & Industry, Los Angeles, CA
exhibition design — May, 1983

1977 – 1981

The Cove Communities

The Cove Communities

Palm Desert Historical Society, Palm Desert, CA
exhibition design & fabrication — October, 1981

Solar Energy Research Institute Visitors Center

Solar Energy Research Institute Visitors Center

Solar Energy Research Institute, Golden, CO
exhibition design — September, 1981

American Museums

American Museums

U. S. Information Agency, Washington, DC
exhibition design — May, 1981

Hong Kong Solar Observatory

Hong Kong Solar Observatory

Walter Landor & Assoc., San Francisco, CA
exhibition design — August, 1980

Historic Los Angeles

Historic Los Angeles

Los Angeles Conservancy, Los Angeles, CA
exhibition design & graphic production — July, 1980

FLIGHT!

Flight!

Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona, CA
exhibition design & fabrication — September, 1979

Hello America

Hello America!

Pacific Telephone, San Francisco, CA
exhibition design — April, 1979

Techno-Yes!

Techno-Yes!

California Office of Appropriate Technology, Sacramento, CA
exhibition design & technical fabrication — July, 1978

H2Oh!

H2Oh!

Department of Water Resources, State of California, Sacramento, CA
exhibition design & technical fabrication — July, 1977

Before co-founding Rogow + Bernstein in May, 1977, Jeff Bernstein had worked on several exhibition and industrial design projects for other firms.
In addition to design work, Jeff developed experimental art projects and, until 1973, was a physiological psychology PhD candidate at UCLA.

1974 – 1977

Singapore Science Center

Singapore Science Centre

Herb Rosenthal & Associates, Los Angeles, CA
masterplanning & exhibition design — December, 1977

FX Costuming

FX Costuming

Norman Lear / Tandem Productions, Los Angeles, CA
special effects design & fabrication
with Rita Riggs & John Williams— May, 1977

Electricity

California Museum of Science & Industry, Los Angeles, CA
Bruce Burdick & Associates, Los Angeles, CA
exhibition design — February, 1975

City Building Educational Program

City Building Educational Program

Doreen Gehry Nelson with Frederick Usher
funded by the National Endowment for the Arts
editing & graphics assistance — Spring, 1974

1968 – 1973

Sea World

Sea World, Orlando

John Follis Associates, Los Angeles, CA
exhibition design with Frederick Usher — December, 1973

Hollywood Bowl Renovation, Easy Edges Furniture, & More

Hollywood Bowl Renovation, Easy Edges Furniture, & More

Frank Gehry Associates, Brentwood, California
industrial design & materials research — 1969 to 1971

Canadian Pavilion, Osaka '70

Canadian Pavilion, Osaka ’70

Jeffrey Lindsay Associates, Los Angeles, CA
industrial design — March to July, 1968

HUD Low-Cost Quality Dwelling Competition

HUD Low-Cost Quality Dwelling Competition

B. A. Berkus Associates with Juan Espinoza, Los Angeles
for Christiana Oil’s entry in the HUD Competition
industrial design — April to September, 1968