Danielle Covatta Riva is a New England-based exhibit designer
with over a decade of experience working in museums.
About Me.
I am a multidisciplinary designer with a penchant for storytelling. I help create exhibitions through spatial and narrative design in conjunction with interpretive planning and research.
On each project I begin by developing a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and then translate the content into a strong spatial and visual design program. I excel at thinking conceptually and then seeing ideas through to detailed design plans. My work strives to engage museum goers of all ages and abilities by creating environments that are engaging, accessible, and memorable.
I currently work for the Peabody Essex Museum, which has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating and collecting museum in the United States, and on contract for a number of organizations across the country. My previous work experience includes world-renowned exhibit design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates and a wide variety of cultural institutions including the Museum of Science, the New-York Historical Society, George Washington's Mount Vernon, and the Smithsonian.
With a B.A. in architecture from Smith College and a master’s degree in interior and exhibit design from Pratt Institute, my work is rooted in a deep appreciation for architectural history and how spatial design can convey stories.
Recent Projects
Interpretive planning for the headquarters of a cultural heritage organization
Two object-based history exhibits for a museum of printing
Interpretive planning and exhibit design for a historical society
Two visual history exhibits and multiple live animal displays for a maritime center
Architectural dioramas for a coastal history and culture museum
An immersive and interactive exhibition space for a science center
Development of exhibit programming for a new cultural history museum
