I visited CoSA in Graz twice this year, first during the free museum night, and later as part of our gamification class. Both times, I was struck by how different this museum feels compared to traditional exhibitions. CoSA is built around interactivity: projections, physical installations, mixed-reality elements, and playful tasks that invite visitors to touch, move, and explore. It’s clearly targeted at a younger audience, probably Gen Z and younger, and it embraces that energy fully.
During my first visit, I went through the financial literacy exhibition, and things went downhill pretty quickly. Very early in the experience, I interacted with a rotating “helicopter” screen that projected information in a spinning, vibrating way. It was visually interesting, but also extremely disorienting. I immediately felt dizzy, and the motion sickness stayed with me for the rest of the day. Normally, I would blame my own system for being sensitive, but after reflecting on inclusive design in my previous blog post, I realized how important it is to account for this. If I struggled, there are definitely people who would struggle even more. Interactivity is exciting, but not every body reacts the same way, and this is something experience designers often forget when creating “wow effects.”
Another challenge I noticed throughout the museum was the amount of information. Many exhibitions were packed with text, explanations, and tasks. As much as it hurts to admit it as a Gen Z person, I found it genuinely hard to focus and stay engaged for long. It reminded me that attention itself is a design material, and designing for young people may require clearer prioritization, pacing, or layering of content.
Despite that, there were moments where CoSA really shined. My favorite installation was a hospital-like scenario where you could assess a patient, analyze blood samples, and make a diagnosis. Another one was a car-building station where you could assemble different parts, load your custom vehicle into a game, and actually drive it. Both experiences captured my attention from start to finish, and they had something important in common: almost no text. They were intuitive, tactile, and driven by action rather than reading.
But even here, I noticed a tension: without the audible explanations from the museum guide, it wasn’t always clear how to start or what the goal was. And this raised a bigger design question in my mind:
How do you balance clarity and playfulness?
Too much text makes everything feel heavy and academic. But no explanation at all can make visitors feel lost. The sweet spot is somewhere in between, and it’s something I want to think more about in my own design practice.
Overall, even though my experiences at CoSA were mixed (and influenced by dizziness, energy levels, and mindset), I still appreciated the museum for what it tries to do. It’s rare to see exhibitions that encourage touch, movement, experimentation, and play. With a bit more balance between interaction and guidance, and more sensitivity to different types of bodies and perception, CoSA could become an even stronger example of how museums can evolve for younger generations.
And next time, I’ll try to visit without triggering my motion sickness first.
