Royal Air Force, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Brief

Refreshing the Permanent Exhibition at the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Visitor Centre

Lincolnshire County Council commissioned Energy Cell to redesign the permanent exhibition at the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) Visitor Centre. Our brief covered new display boards, illuminated lightboxes and supporting exhibition elements, refreshed to tell the BBMF’s story of remembrance, celebration, legacy and inspiration for a new generation of visitors — all within a fixed budget and a tight 12-week schedule.

The BBMF refresh aimed to:

  • Refresh the Visitor Centre’s permanent displays while honouring the BBMF’s mission and heritage
  • Design durable, high-quality display boards and lightboxes built to withstand daily use
  • Balance the RAF’s traditional colour palette with a contemporary, accessible visual language
  • Deliver the full project, from concept to installation, within budget and on a 12-week schedule

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A Structured, Collaborative Design Process

Our approach paired creativity with historical respect and disciplined delivery. Working closely with Lincolnshire County Council, RAF partners and volunteer guides, we built a five-stage process from onboarding and concept development through to design development, production and installation.

We let the story guide the design. Displays were shaped around how visitors actually move through the space, with feedback from stakeholders built into every stage. The result is an exhibition that’s robust, easy to maintain, and delivered within the Council’s budget and 12-week timescale.

A Look Rooted in RAF Heritage

We built the visual identity around the RAF’s own colours — bold reds and royal blues, paired with aircraft motifs and clear, accessible typography, so every board and lightbox tells part of the BBMF’s story with real authenticity. It’s a look that respects the RAF’s traditions while feeling right for today’s visitors.

That same care went into how it’s made. Boards are produced in 5mm foamex with a matt laminate finish and concealed fixings, and the lightboxes run on an energy-efficient LED system that works on both battery and mains power — so the exhibition looks as good in five years as it does on day one

A Team Who Knows This Ground

We’d already worked across Lincolnshire’s cultural venues before this project came along, from Bastion in the Air: A Century of Valour at Lincoln Museum to Bondage to Liberation at Lincoln Castle, plus a run of smaller community exhibitions across the county. That history meant we understood how the Council likes to work, and gave us the confidence to handle heritage content that lands with both enthusiasts and first-time visitors.

The project was handled by a small, joined-up team: project management, creative direction, design and content all working together, with one point of contact for the Council throughout, so nothing got lost between onboarding and handover.

Working on a live RAF site alongside other contractors meant health and safety had to be second nature, not an afterthought. We prepared risk assessments and method statements for every stage, coordinated closely with RAF and Council site management, and got everything installed safely without disrupting the Visitor Centre’s day-to-day running.

"You don't get many projects where the story is this good before you've even picked up a pen. The BBMF's history is incredible, and getting to work with that RAF red and blue, with real aircraft as the reference point, is the kind of brief every designer wants. I wanted the boards to feel proud and a bit bold, not just informative — something that stops people in their tracks before they've read a word of it."
Andy Bruton
Graphic Designer

The Result

A Refreshed Exhibition That Honours the BBMF's Legacy

Walk through the Visitor Centre now and each board and lightbox tells its own part of the story, while still adding up to one clear narrative.

The RAF’s own reds and blues run through the design, alongside aircraft motifs and typography that’s easy to read at a glance — the result feels proud and current at the same time.

It’s built to last, too. The foamex boards and LED lightboxes are made to handle daily footfall, with fixings hidden away so the finish stays clean and the exhibition is easy to look after in future.

And we got there on budget, on the 12-week schedule, and working within all the RAF’s site and security requirements — proof that heritage projects like this can be both ambitious and practical.

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