Hotel Ponce de Leon at Flagler College

Quatrefoil’s interpretive media for Flagler College illuminates the extraordinary art and history of Henry Flagler’s opulent 19th-century Hotel Ponce de Leon. The building is now an orientation space and active dorm, giving students a front-row seat to history. We worked closely with the College and preservation specialists to develop light-touch digital and analog layers that enrich the visitor experience while maintaining the integrity of this National Historic Landmark’s unique architecture. Each element enhances docent-led interpretation and invites guests to engage with the site’s Gilded Age grandeur.

Highlights include “talking portraits” that appear to come to life with a simple touch and a “magic lantern” that reveals hidden historic imagery and stories on the walls. Visitors can eavesdrop on imagined conversations from the hotel’s golden era, and a digital interactive gives them a chance to design their own Tiffany-inspired stained-glass windows. Secret drawers tucked inside wooden panels offer many surprises and opportunities for discovery. A new welcome area, created where the original 19th century check-in desk had been, is a homage to decades of preservation and restoration efforts. Outside, interpretive signage and a “selfie bench” begs students and tourists alike to snap a photo with a bronze Henry Flagler and his dog, Delos. You can watch this exhibition being installed: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Bu-ydMi-X58