What Hillmann & Carr does

Hillmann & Carr is a Washington, D.C.-based interpretive media production firm founded in 1974 by Al Hillmann and Michal Carr that designs and builds media experiences for museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions. The company operates as a Woman-Owned Small Business with corporate entities in Washington, D.C. and Toronto, Canada, and has completed more than 500 commissions across its 45+ year history. Its client base is concentrated in federal cultural agencies, state and local history organizations, private foundations, and international cultural institutions, including Smithsonian museums, the Library of Congress, multiple National Park Service sites, the National Constitution Center, the Annenberg Foundation, and the Fort Henry Discovery Centre in Canada.

The firm's core offerings span video and audio production, application and web development, master planning and consulting, exhibit development, research and writing, focus group and community research, systems design and contracting, and the creation of theaters and immersive environments. Technical components include Watchout multi-projector seamless image composition, autostereoscopic (glasses-free) 3D video, interactive touchscreen stations with 450+ selections, Pepper's Ghost mini-theaters, and audio soundscapes. Notable flagship productions include the Unbroken Circle Theater and the Bound To Bristol orientation theater delivered for the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Hillmann & Carr's business model is project-based commissioned work, with revenue derived from direct institutional contracts to design, develop, and install media components for permanent and temporary exhibitions. Pricing is contract-driven rather than subscription-based, with deliverables scoped to specific exhibit and site projects. The firm sells primarily into government and nonprofit cultural institutions through direct relationships and federal procurement channels, with the WOSB designation functioning as a competitive lever in set-aside awards.

Name

Hillmann & Carr

Legal name

Hillmann & Carr Inc.

Website

https://hillmanncarr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hillmann & Carr is a woman-owned interpretive media production firm founded in 1974 that creates immersive media experiences—including video, interactive installations, soundscapes, and theaters—for museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Museum and Exhibition Media Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Sound Recording Studios (51224)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ), Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB)

Keywords

• Exhibition media production
• Interpretive media services
• Immersive theater design
• Interactive museum experiences
• Audio soundscape design

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Media Projects: Full-service project-based commissions for exhibitions and educational institutions, serving as Media Master Planners from design through installation. Projects include video/audio production, interactive experiences, theaters, and immersive environments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hillmann & Carr is a full-service media production company that creates media experiences for exhibitions and educational institutions. The company serves as Media Master Planners from initial design through installation, producing video and audio content, interactive experiences, immersive theaters, soundscapes, and architectural media systems for museums, historic sites, memorials, and cultural institutions. Since 1974, the firm has completed more than 500 commissions on time and on budget.

Product overview

Hillmann & Carr is a full-service media production company founded in 1974 that creates media experiences for exhibitions and educational institutions. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of service offerings including Video and Audio Production, Application and Web Development, Master Planning and Consulting, Exhibit Development, Research & Writing, Focus Group/Community Research, Systems Design & Contracting, Theaters and Immersive Environments, Group Interactive Experiences, Architectural Media, Historic Reenactment, Audio Soundscapes, Oral History Collection, and Outreach, Education, and Training. Named products include the Unbroken Circle Theater (a 30-foot curved screen immersive experience) and Bound To Bristol (a 75-seat orientation theater). The company serves museums, memorials, national historic sites, and educational institutions across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Media Production Services for Exhibitions and Educational Institutions End-to-end commissioned media production for museums, historic sites, memorials, and educational institutions, encompassing video and audio production, interactive experiences, immersive theaters, soundscapes, oral history collection, and architectural media integrated into exhibit spaces.
• Master Planning and Consulting Interpretive master planning and consulting services for museum and exhibition design projects, positioning the firm as Media Master Planner during the design phase.
• Research & Writing Historical research and interpretive writing service for exhibition content and media scripts, supporting the factual foundation of each installation.
• Exhibit Development Comprehensive exhibit development service including design, content creation, and installation oversight, delivered as a standalone commissioned engagement or as part of larger media projects.
• Unbroken Circle Theater 30-foot-wide curved screen immersive theater experience with three-projector seamless imagery, produced for the Birthplace of Country Music Museum to celebrate the enduring impact of the Bristol Sessions.
• Bound To Bristol Orientation Theater 75-seat orientation theater presentation narrated by John Carter Cash, produced for the Birthplace of Country Music Museum to introduce visitors to the Bristol Sessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 500 commissions completed successfully on time and on budget since 1974
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bluecadet: Philadelphia-based interactive agency that designs and builds immersive digital experiences, exhibits, and websites for museums and cultural institutions. Direct peer: comparable scope of museum multimedia commissions (e.g., MoMA, National Geographic, Smithsonian) with overlapping immersive and interactive offerings.
• ESI Design: Experience design studio (now part of NBBJ) that creates immersive, interactive media and digital experiences for museums, visitor centers, and cultural institutions. Directly comparable end-to-end exhibition media capability with clients including National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Whitney Museum, and Liberty Science Center.
• C&G Partners: Design studio specializing in identity, exhibitions, and digital experiences for cultural institutions, museums, and public spaces. Comparable museum exhibition media and interpretive design work for clients including National WWI Museum, FDR Presidential Library, and Ellis Island.
• Mather & Co: UK-based exhibition and interactive design firm producing immersive media, interactives, and digital experiences for museums, visitor centers, and heritage sites. Comparable scope of museum interactive production for global cultural clients.
• Local Projects: New York-based experience design firm specializing in interactive media, immersive environments, and storytelling installations for museums, cultural institutions, and public spaces. Highly comparable: similar project-based commissions for tier-1 cultural clients (e.g., 9/11 Memorial Museum, Cooper Hewitt) using comparable immersive and interactive technology.
• Unified Field: New York-based experiential design and technology firm producing interactive media, soundscapes, and immersive environments for museums, cultural institutions, and brand experiences. Directly comparable immersive media and soundscape capabilities for cultural clients.
• Second Story: Studio (now part of Kelton) that designs interactive, narrative-driven media environments for museums, cultural institutions, and brand spaces. Direct peer producing comparable immersive storytelling projects for Smithsonian, Crystal Bridges, and other cultural clients.
• Monadnock Media: New Hampshire-based media production firm that produces films, interactive media, and immersive experiences for museums, historic sites, and interpretive centers. Closely comparable niche focus on historical/memorial interpretive media with similar institutional client profile.
• Batwin + Robin: New York-based design and production studio creating immersive media, interactives, and environmental graphics for museums and cultural institutions. Comparable end-to-end exhibition media production for cultural clients including 9/11 Tribute Center and Audubon Society.

Broad incumbents

• Ralph Appelbaum Associates: Global exhibition design firm that has designed hundreds of museum and visitor center experiences, including major national museums and memorials. A broader incumbent offering full master planning, exhibition design, and media integration versus Hillmann & Carr's media-specialist focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hillmann & Carr