Visitors to the newly redesigned Crestview Welcome & Adventure Center in Destin–Fort Walton Beach are in for a surprise just past the front doors—where the floorplan opens to a colorful digital ocean teeming with life. At the heart of this transformation is a captivating new touch table exhibit where guests can color, scan, and release their own sea creatures into a virtual underwater world. The exhibit blends creativity, education, and conservation messaging into one unforgettable experience—and it’s all thanks to a powerful collaboration between St. John Design Group and Workinman Interactive.
A New Kind of Welcome
The Crestview Welcome Center, one of several operated by the Destin–Fort Walton Beach Tourism Department, underwent a dramatic overhaul in 2025. The redesign aimed to modernize the space with bold interior design, vibrant color palettes, and interactive exhibits that celebrate the Emerald Coast’s natural wonders. At the core of the redesign was St. John Design Group (SDG), a renowned firm specializing in experiential exhibit design. SDG brought their signature magic to the project, creating high-quality, tactile experiences for visitors of all ages.
To make the reef-themed tabletop come alive, SDG tapped Workinman Interactive, a veteran developer of family-focused digital interactives and museum installations. Their task: adapt Workinman’s beloved SketchTank Virtual Aquarium to a top-down, table-based experience, and tailor it for Florida’s Gulf Coast story.
SketchTank: Reinvented for the Gulf
Originally developed as a floor-to-wall projector-based exhibit, SketchTank is a collaborative art aquarium where guests color ocean creatures on paper, scan them in, and watch as their artwork springs to life in a vibrant virtual reef. For the Crestview installation, the concept was completely re-engineered to fit a top-down touchscreen table—a glass-bottom-boat view into a digital underwater ecosystem.
To make the shift possible, Workinman built a brand-new 3D engine. This allowed for a realistic overhead view and swapped out 2D sprites for fully animated 3D species that roam the seafloor naturally, interacting with each other and the reef in believable ways.
The crown jewel of the underwater landscape is a 3D model of the M/V Chepanoc, a real shipwreck that serves as an artificial reef off the coast of Okaloosa County. Workinman collaborated with Reef Smart in Montreal, Canada to obtain a detailed scan of the Chepanoc, integrating it into the environment as a dynamic habitat that players can explore, learn about, and influence.
Draw It, Scan It, Watch It Swim
The experience begins with creativity: guests select a creature native to Florida’s waters, from turtles and groupers to lobsters and snappers, and color it using pre-printed templates. Once complete, they scan their artwork into the system, where it’s transformed before their eyes into a swimming 3D model that joins the virtual reef on the big screen.
As fish and sea life roam the reef, players can tap on them to trigger informative pop-ups about the species, its role in the ecosystem, and conservation facts. But be careful—too much poking around may draw the attention of a curious reef shark who occasionally glides up to the glass for a surprise visit.
From Art to Action: Battling the Lionfish Invasion
The experience isn’t just creative—it’s also educational. One major issue threatening Florida’s reefs is the invasive lionfish, a venomous species introduced to the Gulf that outcompetes native fish and disrupts reef ecosystems.
To help raise awareness, the aquarium includes a narrative twist: over time, the reef becomes overrun with lionfish, which slowly degrade the environment and drive native species away. The solution? Guests must color and scan diver characters, turning their art into animated underwater heroes that patrol the reef. With a well-timed tap, the divers can spear and remove the lionfish, helping to restore balance to the reef.
This mechanic transforms the exhibit into an eco-conscious game—fun, collaborative, and packed with purpose.
Partners in Magic
“Working with St. John Design Group is always a blast,” says Matt Conheady, Executive Producer at Workinman Interactive. “Their builds are breathtaking, and their engagement ideas are always well thought out and primed for interaction. It makes our side of things, the digital magic, a lot easier, and we just know it’s going to blow audiences away when it all comes together.”
St. John Design Group has made a name for themselves by crafting beautiful, interactive spaces that encourage learning through play. Their work spans museums, welcome centers, and tourism hubs around the country—and this Destin–Fort Walton Beach project is a perfect showcase of what they do best.
Visit the Exhibit
You can experience this interactive reef firsthand at the Crestview Welcome & Adventure Center, located just off I-10 in the heart of Florida’s panhandle. The center is free to visit and provides a vibrant introduction to the wildlife, recreation, and preservation efforts that make Destin–Fort Walton Beach such a special destination.
Learn more at: https://www.destinfwb.com/listing/crestview-welcome-adventure-center/50311
About the Creators
St. John Design Group (SDG) is a multidisciplinary exhibit and experience design firm focused on engaging, educational spaces that invite curiosity and connection. Learn more about their work at stjohndg.com.
Workinman Interactive is a Rochester-based digital studio that creates playful, purpose-driven games and exhibits for clients like Disney, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, and top museums nationwide. Learn more about their SketchTank Aquarium and other interactive experiences at:
