When the coronavirus rolled across the United States, every single organization and business was affected, from the tiniest of small businesses to the largest retailers in the country. Nothing was excluded. Even Washington, DC, reeled and sought out companies able to provide effective solutions to keep people safe and maintain operation of the nation's most prized museums and attractions. The National Park Service was one such entity searching for a solution to protect its workers and guests during their time at the White House Visitor Center. Exhibit Foundry, a VA-based manufacturer of counters, desks, and kiosks, was prepared to help.

"When the trade show industry came to an abrupt halt in March of 2020, we scrambled to find something we could manufacture that people would need during the pandemic," said Ken Bell, owner of Exhibit Foundry. That shift in focus led to the development of the Social Distancing Kiosk, among other new safety products. "Creating the Social Distancing Kiosk allowed us to utilize the same materials and equipment that we normally use to make portable trade show counters."

The semi-circular design featuring clear Plexiglas dividers helps protect workers on three sides while allowing interaction with visitors. Slots at the countertop facilitate passing tickets and documents and administering temperature scans. Plus, the kiosk is ADA compliant to accommodate people in wheelchairs.

The National Park Service recognized the easy-to-assemble units as an ideal solution for its workers to use while checking in visitors, so it acquired a pair of them and positioned them at the entrance to the visitor center, allowing a safer experience for everyone. And even though the visitor center eventually closed as more aggressive mitigation measures were put into place, the kiosks are almost certain to be used again when the attraction reopens.

Exhibit Foundry has distributed its kiosks to other area places such as the visitor center at National Geographic headquarters, universities, and public schools. And it has provided a variety of custom solutions where it could help. For instance, the company provided James Madison University in Virginia with portable screens for its dining hall and classrooms and provided dividers at the university's bookstore.

"I think Exhibit Foundry and the custom exhibit industry are good at coming up with creative solutions to many problems," Bell said. "Display companies typically have Plexiglas in stock and have supply chains already in place to acquire more as needed. We also have the equipment required to cut and fabricate aluminum and Plexiglass used in many PPE products." Bell added that Exhibit Foundry is prepared to work with dealers to distribute the company's solutions.