The Museum of London Docklands brings the River Thames’ buried stories above ground through its exhibition Mudlarking: Secrets of the Thames. Whether beneath crisp daylight or dark winter evenings, the river’s hidden artefacts continue to fascinate — and this season, a clever outdoor activation is helping spread the word. Partnering with AKA, JACK ARTS was tasked with creating a playful, eye-catching campaign inspired by themes of discovery, mystery, and treasure.
Billboards become miniature museum displays
Working alongside its Creative Studio, JACK ARTS turned a Quaker Street site into a mini exhibit-style installation. Using lightboxes arranged like display cases, the billboard mimicked the museum environment — teasing fragments of artefacts recovered from the Thames shoreline.
Instead of telling people what’s inside the show, the execution invited curiosity, encouraging passers-by to discover the real treasures at the museum.
Designed with curatorial precision
The museum’s design team was consulted to determine the ideal scale, placement and silhouette designs for the lightboxes. The result? A billboard that not only advertised Mudlarking — it resembled it.
Each cut-out and illuminated edge hinted at something ancient, lost, or waiting to be uncovered — all without showing the real pieces.
A glowing invitation in winter darkness
Launching in November, the activation made clever use of London’s early sunsets. At dusk, the billboard’s illuminated elements shone like beacons along the street, positioning museums as warm, inspiring places to escape colder, darker days.
The glowing composition not only reinforced the exhibition’s themes — it turned OOH media into storytelling infrastructure.
Final thoughts
With OOH turned into an exhibition surface, the Mudlarking campaign shows how museums can extend their worlds beyond gallery walls. Lightboxes, silhouettes, and curated mystery transformed a simple site into a moment of cultural intrigue.
In the end, the message was clear: history isn’t just preserved inside museums — it lives in the city, waiting to be discovered.
FAQs about this campaign
What is the campaign about?
It promotes the Mudlarking: Secrets of the Thames exhibition by transforming street posters into display-case style lightboxes, echoing museum treasure cabinets.
Why does it stand out?
Because it blends museum storytelling with outdoor media, lighting up public streets as cultural invitations rather than commercial ads.
How does OOH contribute to the experience?
OOH becomes an extension of the exhibition — a glowing preview that sparks curiosity and inspires visits.
Why use illuminated posters?
The campaign launched during darker winter days, so lighting reinforced the message that museums are welcoming spaces when the city feels cold and dim.
What can museums learn from this activation?
That outdoor media can serve as cultural infrastructure — not just advertising — by carrying narrative, intrigue, and public invitation.
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