Presented at President Andrew Jackson’s mansion in Nashville, Tennessee, Solid Light’s Born for a Storm experience sparks difficult conversations about a complicated leader—a hero of the common man, a political trailblazer, a controversial president whose ideas transformed his country for both good and bad. Immersive media, touch-screen interactives, and extensive artifact displays take visitors on a journey through Jackson’s famed military career and presidency.

As supporters of Jackson and rival John Quincy Adams trade stump speeches, insults, and even songs in the multimedia presentation “Political Circus,” visitors have a front-row seat for the tumultuous presidential election of 1828—and see parallels with today’s bitterly partisan politics. This multi-layered storytelling approach allows Born for a Storm to reach a more diverse audience, including more young people and locals.

Solid Light’s work on Born for a Storm garnered significant national and international press coverage and was awarded the 2015 AASLH Leadership in History Award for special achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.