At the Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Adam Van Osdel is the Creative Director for Pottawattomie Arts Culture and Entertainment (PACE). With over two decades of experience in museums and art institutes, Van Osdel began his career in the arts by designing exhibits for the Durham Museum in 2004. He pursued his interest in architecture and volunteered his time to create a science and technology wing for Omaha North High School. He also ventured into film and contributed to props and special effects for the movie Lucky, which hit theaters and Netflix. As he delved deeper into museum work, he developed over 50 exhibits for various establishments, including The Smithsonian and the Field Museum. Additionally, he provided design consultation for the Harley Davidson Museum and served as the Exhibit Designer for the Omaha Children's Museum. Throughout his career, Van Osdel has always made time for teaching, offering his expertise to Iowa West Community College and Do Space in Omaha.
Van Osdel frequently combines his experience in exhibitry, film, theatrical design, and historic preservation to create immersive experiences that engage all the senses of the visitor. He takes pride in developing interactive exhibits that incorporate tactile elements, such as touch-activated interfaces, and use sound and light to create an ambiance. For him, every design project is an exciting challenge, and he finds it gratifying to watch the ideas evolve from sketches to reality. "Creating real programs that make a measurable impact in people's lives is essential to this work," he says.
Apart from his role at PACE, Van Osdel is also the Vice Chair and Production Designer for TEDx Omaha and owns an art cafe called Edge of the Universe: The Museum Cafe. He earned a bachelor's degree in theater from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and believes that education is central to the arts. If you have any questions, you may contact him at Adamvanosdel@gmail.com. Respectfully, Adam Van Osdel Regenerate response