By: Michael French, UC Davis College of Letters and Science
The UC Davis Design Museum opens its 2025-2026 season with Embodiment, an installation which incorporates theatrical and narrative design practices. This unique project opens Oct. 8.
Embodiment, created and curated by UC Davis MFA Design student Emily Tonnos, the installation explores the intersectionality of exhibition, theatrical, and narrative design practices to create an immersive experience through human emotion, multisensory perception, and a journey through personal struggle and growth.
“Through working to create Embodiment, I have had the opportunity to learn about and bridge together several design disciples from lighting and sound design to construction and graphics, said Tonnos.
“My research in design phenomenology, exhibition design, and theatrical design come together at the crossroads in which tools of scenography are used to tell stories. By crafting the environment of space, building all the props, and developing a narrative, I hope to show visitors the value in how physical multisensory exhibitions can be used to bring messages to life, and how this can be possible in a unique way by using theatrical practices to create immersive experiences. I hope that Embodiment shows that by uniting different design disciplines and seeing how they can be changed and used in tandem with each other, we can reflect on how this beauty of change and togetherness mirrors itself in our personal lives too.”
Tonnos, a multidisciplinary designer with a passion for narrative experience design, uses storytelling as a design mechanism. She has experience working to design various architectures, exhibits and themed spaces with specialized skills in 3D modeling, prototyping, and scenography. As a competitive figure skater and Disney College Program alumni, Tonnos’ interests in theater and themed experiences fuel her love for design.
Running Oct. 8 through Nov. 5, the installation is accessed Tue-Thu, at either 5 p.m., 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. Participants must register for access at designmuseum.ucdavis.edu. Free and open to all.
The museum is in 124 Cruess Hall.
The museum’s season will continue in Jan. 2026 with Village Homes: A Radical Plan, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of an innovative west Davis community.
The Design Museum in the Department of Design is part of the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis.
