America 250 Picture Flap Display for the ND250 Exhibition

A custom mechanical installation helps North Dakota tell “Our American Story” through motion.

Project Overview

In 2026, the United States celebrated the 250th anniversary of American independence, a historic national milestone commemorated through America250.

Across the country, museums, public institutions and local communities marked the anniversary by exploring the people, places and experiences that have shaped the United States.

North Dakota joined this nationwide celebration through ND250, highlighting the state’s history, landscapes, communities and role within the wider American story.

One of the central projects was North Dakota 250 Road Trip: Our American Story, an exhibition at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck.

The exhibition opened on July 1, 2026, featuring more than 250 objects, photographs and historical materials exploring North Dakota’s past, present and future. It is scheduled to remain on display through July 2028.

For the exhibition, TS Display designed and manufactured a custom mechanical Picture Flap Display that transforms North Dakota’s identity into a continuously changing visual experience.

The display presents official ND250 branding, landscapes, cities, agriculture, wildlife, energy, historic postcard imagery and campaign messages through the synchronized movement of rotating printed flaps.

Unlike a conventional digital screen, each image is physically reconstructed by the display. Visitors can see and hear the panels moving, turning every transition into part of the exhibition experience.

Featured in Local Television News

The North Dakota 250 Road Trip: Our American Story exhibition and its custom Picture Flap Display were featured in local television news coverage shortly after the exhibition opened.

The report introduced the ND250 exhibition to a wider audience and showed the completed mechanical display operating inside the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum.

The television coverage provides valuable independent confirmation that the Picture Flap Display was successfully delivered, installed and placed into public operation as part of North Dakota’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.

For TS Display, seeing the completed installation featured by local media marked an important moment in the project—from factory production and international shipment to successful installation inside a major American museum exhibition.

Factory Testing Before Shipment

Before shipment to the United States, the complete 32-module Picture Flap Display was assembled, programmed and tested at the TS Display factory.

The testing process included:
• Module alignment
• Wiring and communication checks
• Image-positioning verification
• Software configuration
• Playback programming
• Repeated full-display transitions

Testing the complete installation before shipment allowed our team to confirm that every module operated correctly and that all large-format images remained accurately aligned.

Modular Design and Smooth Client Installation

The ND250 Picture Flap Display was designed as a modular system for efficient international transportation and straightforward on-site installation.

TS Display supplied the client with:
• A detailed wiring diagram
• Module connection instructions
• Installation guidance
• Software operating instructions
• Image playback guidance
• Remote technical support

Using these materials, the client’s own team successfully completed the module installation, wiring, software setup and operation.

The entire process went smoothly. The client encountered no technical obstacles and did not need to arrange a video call with our engineers.

By following the wiring diagram, installation instructions and software guide provided by TS Display, the exhibition team independently assembled the system and placed the complete Picture Flap Display into operation.

This successful installation demonstrates the advantages of the modular system:
• Efficient international shipping
• Standardized module connections
• Clear wiring documentation
• Straightforward installation
• User-friendly control software
• Remote support when required

The client was highly satisfied with both the installation process and the completed result.

One Display, Many North Dakota Stories

One custom Picture Flap Display can present many different images, stories and messages through the same mechanical surface.

The ND250 installation moves between event branding, historic imagery, landscapes, agriculture, wildlife, energy and tourism content, allowing one display to support a wide range of exhibition themes.

This makes Picture Flap especially suitable for:
• Museums
• History museums
• Heritage centers
• Cultural institutions
• Visitor centers
• Public exhibitions
• America 250 exhibitions
• Tourism exhibitions
• Educational displays
• Nonprofit exhibition spaces

Unlike a fixed printed wall, the display can present many different visual stories within one installation. Unlike a conventional digital screen, its mechanical movement creates a more physical and memorable visitor experience.

The Result

The completed Picture Flap Display became part of North Dakota’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.

Through synchronized mechanical movement, the installation presents different chapters of North Dakota’s history, landscapes, communities and identity within one continuously changing display.

The project also demonstrated that a large international Picture Flap installation can be completed successfully without an on-site engineering team.

With modular construction, clear wiring documentation, installation guidance and user-friendly software, the client independently completed the installation and operation smoothly.

The television report, exhibition preparation footage, factory testing video and client installation video together document the complete project journey:

Factory Testing → Exhibition Preparation → Client Installation → Public Operation

The final result is more than a display of changing images. It is a mechanical storytelling installation designed for museums, history museums, heritage centers, visitor centers, public exhibitions and cultural institutions.

It invites visitors to pause, watch and discover another part of North Dakota’s American story.

⸻

Bring Your Story to Life with a Custom Picture Flap Display

Planning a museum exhibition, history museum installation, heritage center, visitor center, cultural exhibition or nonprofit public display?

TS Display designs and manufactures custom Picture Flap Displays for museums, exhibitions and cultural institutions around the world.

Each system can be customized in overall size, module layout, printed image content, playback sequence, control method and installation structure.

Our modular Picture Flap Displays are designed for efficient international shipping and straightforward client installation. We provide wiring diagrams, installation guidance, software instructions and remote technical support.

Tell us your exhibition space, required size and creative concept, and we will develop a custom Picture Flap solution for your project.