Project Name: The Children Shall Lead
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
Project Overview
The Children Shall Lead is a large-scale exterior mural created for the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. Developed in conjunction with the museum's children's exhibition of the same name, the mural celebrates the imagination, aspirations, and leadership potential of Black youth.
The project transformed the museum's exterior into a vibrant visual statement that encourages young visitors to envision limitless possibilities for their futures while reinforcing the museum's commitment to education, culture, and community engagement.
The Challenge
The Lewis Museum sought a mural that would support the launch of its children's exhibition while creating an engaging experience for families and visitors before they even entered the building. The artwork needed to reflect themes of youth empowerment, future leadership, and possibility while remaining authentic, approachable, and visually impactful.
The challenge was to create a mural that felt genuine to children's experiences rather than relying on fictional narratives or generalized representations.
Discovery and Creative Development
The creative process began through a series of discussions with museum stakeholders to better understand the goals of the exhibition, the intended visitor experience, and the message they hoped to communicate through the artwork.
Ground Zero Studio developed and presented multiple concept directions, guiding the client through two rounds of design refinement. These conversations helped shape the final visual narrative while balancing the museum's branding and educational objectives without allowing the artwork to feel overly promotional or commercial.
To ensure authenticity, the project extended beyond traditional concept development. Real children were invited into the creative process by answering a simple but powerful question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Their responses became the foundation of the mural's storytelling. The children were then photographed in a variety of poses and expressions, providing reference material that was later transformed into custom illustrations. This approach ensured that the final artwork reflected real aspirations, personalities, and experiences.
Design Solutions
The final mural features illustrated portraits of children confidently stepping into future careers and opportunities inspired directly by their own ambitions. A cityscape under construction serves as a symbolic backdrop, representing a future that is still being built by the next generation of leaders, innovators, caregivers, and changemakers.
By combining personal storytelling with aspirational imagery, the mural creates a visual narrative that invites young people to see themselves reflected in positions of possibility and achievement.
Services Provided
• Creative Direction
• Design Strategy
• Concept Development
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Illustration
• Public Art Design
• Mural Design
• Visual Storytelling
• Community Impact Strategy
• Design Strategy
• Concept Development
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Illustration
• Public Art Design
• Mural Design
• Visual Storytelling
• Community Impact Strategy
Installation and Community Impact
The mural was unveiled during the opening celebration of The Children Shall Lead exhibition, creating a seamless connection between the museum experience and the public artwork outside.
To extend the impact of the project beyond the installation itself, commemorative posters were created and distributed to children attending the exhibition. The posters served as educational keepsakes that allowed visitors to take a piece of the experience home while reinforcing the mural's message of imagination, ambition, and self-belief.
Today, the mural stands as a welcoming landmark for museum visitors and a celebration of the limitless potential of Black youth.
