Split Rock Studios
Split Rock Studios is an employee-owned custom exhibit design and fabrication firm headquartered in Minneapolis that delivers end-to-end museum, nature center, university, and branded-experience exhibits for institutional clients across 43 U.S. states and 5 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Split Rock Studios does
Split Rock Studios is a custom exhibit design and fabrication firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, founded in 2000 by 13 exhibit professionals, including co-founders Craig Sommerville and Chris Wilson, who acquired Deaton Museum Services and operate the business today as a 100% employee-owned ESOP. Its core offering is end-to-end exhibit design and fabrication under one roof: project planning, schematic and development design, graphic and interactive/multimedia design, in-house fabrication (custom casework, CNC milling, artifact displays, themed environments, dioramas, murals, sculpture, and replicas), and on-site delivery and installation. The firm maintains a Weeke Vantech 510 CNC Router with a 5'x10' bed, brought in-house via the 2020 acquisition of Thiede Woodworks, which now also generates external CNC parts-cutting revenue from cabinet shops on published hourly ($130/hour machine, $90/hour CAD/CAM) and flat-rate terms.
The company serves museums, nature centers and zoos, universities and libraries, and corporate/sports branded-experience clients, with documented projects across 43 U.S. states and 5 countries (including Kuwait, Norway, Panama, the Bahamas, and Bermuda). Notable engagements include the Bell Museum diorama restoration, Hormel Nature Center (15,000 sq ft), Great River Children's Museum (10,000 sq ft, June 2025), You Are Here at The History Museum at the Castle (3,100 sq ft), Tekakapimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods and Waters NM (backed by a $1M National Park Foundation grant and a 2025 NAI Juror's Choice Award), and the Saga Center at Norway House (opened by Crown Prince Haakon). Commercial terms for custom exhibit projects are quote-based and undisclosed; CNC parts-cutting follows published pay-as-you-go rates with 3-4 week standard turnaround and a 50% deposit. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct inquiries, RFP/competitive bidding, and relationship-driven referrals, with credibility reinforced by AASLH and NAI industry awards and extensive client testimonials.
Split Rock Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Split Rock Studios
- Legal name
- Split Rock Studios
- Website
- https://splitrockstudios.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Split Rock Studios is an employee-owned custom exhibit design and fabrication firm headquartered in Minneapolis that delivers end-to-end museum, nature center, university, and branded-experience exhibits for institutional clients across 43 U.S. states and 5 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Split Rock Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Museum Exhibit Design and Fabrication
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scenic Fabrication & Set/Stage Carpentry (MPAGAKAG)
Keywords
Where Split Rock Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Split Rock Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Exhibit Design & Fabrication: Full-service custom exhibit design, fabrication, and installation for museums, nature centers, zoos, universities, libraries, and branded experiences. Revenue generated through project-based contracts with pricing based on scope, square footage, complexity, and materials. Services range from design-only to complete turnkey solutions.
- CNC Services: Parts cutting services for cabinet shops and woodworking market customers. Includes wood parts cutting (cabinet parts, furniture parts, nested sheet parts, slatwall), plastic parts cutting (polycarbonate, PVC foam), and custom CNC milling. Revenue generated through hourly rates ($130/hour machine time, $90/hour CAD/CAM programming) and flat rate pricing for cabinet parts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | CNC Machine Time |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | CNC Programming Services |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flat Rate Cabinet Parts |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Exhibit Projects |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Split Rock Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Split Rock Studios is a custom exhibit design and fabrication firm that designs, fabricates, and installs exhibits for museums, nature centers, zoos, universities, libraries, and branded experiences. All capabilities—from schematic design and graphic design through CNC milling, art fabrication, interactives, and on-site installation—are executed in-house at the Minneapolis facility. The company also offers separately priced CNC parts cutting services to cabinet shops and woodworking market customers using a Weeke Vantech 510 CNC Router.
Product overview
Split Rock Studios is a 100% employee-owned custom exhibit design and fabrication company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company operates as a single unified offering combining design and build services under one roof, serving museums, nature centers, zoos, universities, libraries, and branded experience clients. Their core capabilities include custom exhibit design, full fabrication (including custom casework, CNC services, art fabrication, dioramas, murals, and sculptures), interactives and multimedia integration, and delivery and installation. The company has completed projects in 43 states and 5 countries, with a portfolio spanning cultural history, natural science, academic institutions, and corporate branding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Exhibit Design and Fabrication End-to-end custom exhibit design, fabrication, and installation service spanning schematic design, design development, graphic design, custom casework, CNC milling, artifact displays, themed environments, dioramas, murals, sculptures, replicas, and digital art fabrication. Delivered fully in-house at the Minneapolis facility for museums, nature centers, zoos, universities, libraries, and branded experience clients; project-based contract pricing determined through consultation with cost analysis at every design phase.
- CNC Services Standalone CNC parts cutting service for cabinet shops and woodworking market customers. Offers wood parts cutting (cabinet parts, furniture parts, nested sheet parts, slatwall), plastic parts cutting (polycarbonate, PVC foam), and custom CNC milling; priced at $130/hour machine time and $90/hour CAD/CAM programming, with flat rate cabinet parts pricing (e.g., 4x8 sheet $50, 5x8 $55, 4x10 $60, 5x5 $45), a 50% deposit, and 3-4 week standard turnaround.
- Delivery and Installation Comprehensive installation services including careful packing, shipping coordination, on-site installation, and closeout training for ongoing exhibit maintenance. Provided to institutional clients as part of full project delivery across museums, nature centers, zoos, universities, libraries, and branded experience projects.
- Interactives and Multimedia Design and fabrication of tactile, mechanical, and AV interactives creating memorable experiences for visitors of all ages and abilities, integrated with partner-developed digital content for institutional clients.
- Art Fabrication Art fabrication services including hand-painted murals, sculpted plants, animals and people, dioramas, themed environments, and digital fabrication using 3D printing and CNC foam routing to create immersive visitor experiences for museums, nature centers, zoos, universities, libraries, and branded experience clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Exhibits installed in 43 US states and 5 countries
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Split Rock Studios
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Split Rock Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Split Rock Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Trivium InteractivecorePartnered with Trivium Interactive for media development at the Saga Center, Norway House, creating immersive technology experiences and touchscreen interactives.
- BPIminorInteractive media partner for Ancient Seas exhibit at Indiana State Museum.
- Haizlip StudioscoreCollaborated with Haizlip Studios on Great River Children's Museum exhibit design, ensuring multigenerational accessibility.
- Winikur ProductionscoreCollaborated with Winikur Productions on the Barona Cultural Center film project Nya'waap Illyuw Uuchyuwp - Our Way of Knowing, combining live action and original animation with traditional storytelling.
- 900lbs of CreativeminorCollaborated with 900lbs of Creative on River Legacy Living Science Center digital walls and motion-connected cameras.
- Second Story Inc.minorPartnered with Second Story Inc. for custom digital content at Custer State Park exhibits.
- Native Skywatchers Design StudiominorIndigenous astronomer and artist studio producing northern lights and constellation animations for Great River Children's Museum.
- Reef CraftminorPartnered with Reef Craft on Cayuga Nature Center exhibit featuring two 650-gallon fish tanks.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Split Rock Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cinnabar: Minneapolis-area custom exhibit design and fabrication firm serving museums, zoos, and visitor centers. Closely comparable in scale, geography, and end markets to Split Rock Studios, with a similar custom casework and interpretive design offering.
- Thinkwell Group: Experience design and production firm building custom museum, theme park, and brand experiences. Comparable to Split Rock in combining design, fabrication, and installation for interpretive and branded environments, though typically larger in scale.
- Sparks: Experience design and fabrication company producing custom exhibits, brand activations, and museum installations. Comparable in offering custom-built interpretive and branded experiences for institutional and corporate clients.
- Jack Rouse Associates (Rouse): Experience design firm specializing in museums, cultural attractions, and brand experiences. Comparable to Split Rock for interpretive exhibit design and master planning, particularly in cultural and nature-based institutions.
- Solid Light: Museum and exhibit design/production firm specializing in custom interpretive experiences for history, science, and cultural institutions. Comparable to Split Rock in delivering end-to-end exhibit design, fabrication, and installation for museum clients.
Regional players
- Haley Sharpe Design: UK-based museum and exhibit design firm with strong cultural and heritage portfolio. Comparable to Split Rock in delivering interpretive exhibit design for museums, though primarily serving the UK and European markets.
- Design Island: UK exhibit and interpretation design company producing museum, heritage, and visitor center installations. Comparable in interpretive design approach for museums and cultural sites, primarily competing in the UK and European markets.
- Mather & Co: UK-based museum and visitor experience design and build firm. Comparable to Split Rock for cultural and heritage interpretive projects, with a similar integrated design-through-installation model, though operating primarily in the UK.
Broad incumbents
- GES (Global Experience Specialists): Large global provider of exhibition, event, and exhibit services. Overlaps with Split Rock's custom fabrication for museums and branded experiences but at significantly larger scale and with a broader trade-show services portfolio.
Emerging players
- Hilbrich Design / Hilbring Design: Boutique exhibit and interpretive design firm working with museums and cultural centers. Comparable in custom exhibit design for smaller institutional clients, though with a narrower fabrication footprint than Split Rock's full in-house shop.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Split Rock Studios social profiles
Digital presenceSplit Rock Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Split Rock Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Split Rock Studios subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Split Rock Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Split Rock Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Split Rock Studios
What does Split Rock Studios do?
Split Rock Studios is a custom exhibit design and fabrication firm that designs, fabricates, and installs exhibits for museums, nature centers, zoos, universities, libraries, and branded experiences. All capabilities—from schematic design and graphic design through CNC milling, art fabrication, interactives, and on-site installation—are executed in-house at the Minneapolis facility. The company also offers separately priced CNC parts cutting services to cabinet shops and woodworking market customers using a Weeke Vantech 510 CNC Router.
Is Split Rock Studios a public or private company?
Split Rock Studios is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Split Rock Studios founded?
Split Rock Studios was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Split Rock Studios based?
Split Rock Studios is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Split Rock Studios make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Exhibit Design & Fabrication is the primary driver. The others are CNC Services.
Who are Split Rock Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cinnabar, Thinkwell Group, Sparks, Jack Rouse Associates (Rouse) and Solid Light. Regional players are Haley Sharpe Design, Design Island and Mather & Co. GES (Global Experience Specialists) is listed as a broad incumbent. Hilbrich Design / Hilbring Design is listed as an emerging player.
Does Split Rock Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Split Rock Studios.
What industry is Split Rock Studios in?
Split Rock Studios's product category is Museum Exhibit Design and Fabrication. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAKAG, Scenic Fabrication & Set/Stage Carpentry.