Scruffy Dog Creative Group explains how it designed and delivered three flagship museums for Porto’s World of Wine cultural district, combining narrative design, fabrication, and installation to create acclaimed visitor experiences.
Introduction
The World of Wine (WOW) cultural district in Porto is one of Europe’s most ambitious heritage destinations. Developed by the Fladgate Partnership, it transformed historic port wine cellars into a cultural hub that continues to draw international visitors.
Scruffy Dog Creative Group was commissioned to create three of WOW’s flagship museums: Planet Cork, The Wine Experience, and Porto Region Across the Ages. Each was delivered through Concept Design & Development, Masterplanning, Graphic Design, Schematic Design, Detailed Design & Realisation, and in-house fabrication and installation.
Project Scope
SDCG’s remit spanned the full project cycle.
During Concept Design & Development, designers and content leads set narrative frameworks for each museum, defined exhibition typologies, and established visual languages. Schematic and Detailed Design translated these ideas into coordinated technical packages, aligning graphics, media, lighting, and scenic requirements with conservation and operational needs.
From there, the team established visitor journeys and circulation within the irregular footprint of restored cellars, resolving accessibility, queuing, and wayfinding so the architecture supports the exhibitions rather than competing with them.
Fabrication and technical delivery were managed in the company’s UK facilities. Scenic elements, interactive components, and bespoke exhibition pieces were produced, tested, and packed for transport to Porto. Installation was overseen on site by Scruffy Dog Creative Group specialists to retain design intent, manage interfaces with base build, and maintain consistency across three distinct museums. This integrated model allowed creative and technical decisions to move in step, reduced rework, and helped the district open with a coherent visitor offer.
Experience Highlights
Planet Cork
Cork is a material deeply tied to Portuguese identity, yet rarely explored in dedicated museum settings. Scruffy Dog Creative Group designed Planet Cork to highlight both its heritage and its surprising modern applications, from aerospace to fashion. The exhibition included tactile interactives that invited visitors to handle cork in different forms, supported by graphics and digital media explaining its properties. Reviews have described the experience as “particularly inventive and interactive” (Club Oenologique), reflecting how design choices turned a familiar subject into a source of discovery.
The Wine Experience
Wine tourism is central to Porto’s identity, yet the subject risks overwhelming visitors with technical detail. Scruffy Dog Creative Group designed The Wine Experience to break this complexity into accessible stages. Large-scale mapping introduced Portugal’s wine regions, digital interactives allowed visitors to explore the impact of soil and climate, and scenographic displays illustrated the winemaking process step by step. The experience concluded with tasting opportunities that tied interpretation directly to the senses. Travelers Universe praised its “modern layout, interactive exhibits, stunning displays, and a memorable tasting experience” (Travelers Universe), while Club Oenologique described it as “informative without being condescending.” Both reflect the balance achieved between scholarship and accessibility.
Porto Region Across the Ages
Porto’s story is one of resilience and growth, shaped by trade, exploration, and cultural exchange. Scruffy Dog Creative Group developed Porto Region Across the Ages to chart this history through carefully curated artefacts, large-scale graphics, and immersive media. Content was arranged chronologically, giving visitors a clear pathway through the city’s foundations, conflicts, and achievements. Particular care was taken to design exhibits that appealed to both family audiences and those with specialist interest, ensuring broad accessibility without reducing the depth of interpretation. Visitors have praised the museum for presenting history “in an entertaining way so you really learn a lot having fun” (WineTourism.com).
Critical Reception
WOW has been widely covered by both the travel press and specialist wine media. Decanter described it as “more than a museum … taking wine tourism to the next level, with interactive exhibits, art, culture, shopping, food and drink” (Decanter).
Across multiple platforms, visitor reviews highlight the quality of interpretation and the variety of interactive displays. Comments such as “sensational experience” and “simply spectacular” (WineTourism.com) support the ambition behind Scruffy Dog Creative Group’s design work and its ongoing appeal to diverse audiences.
Practical takeaways for museums and heritage attractions
Scruffy Dog Creative Group’s contribution to Planet Cork, The Wine Experience, and Porto Region Across the Ages provides a set of clear takeaways for museums and heritage organisations. Each reflects a deliberate design and delivery approach that helped shape the district and can be adapted across the sector.
Narrative-led exhibition design
Scruffy Dog Creative Group used story structure as a foundation for each museum. In The Wine Experience, the visitor journey was mapped to the logic of winemaking, moving through environment, grape, process, and taste. In Porto Region Across the Ages, the team adopted a chronological sequence that mirrors the city’s development. These frameworks ensured that complex material remained accessible and memorable.
Material-focused interactivity
Interactive exhibits were designed as a core part of interpretation. At Planet Cork, Scruffy Dog Creative Group created tactile displays that allow visitors to test cork’s natural properties. In The Wine Experience, digital interactives showed the direct impact of terroir on wine outcomes. These approaches allowed audiences of all ages and learning styles to participate in the story rather than passively observe it.
Integrated design and delivery
By carrying responsibility for Concept Design & Development, technical detailing, fabrication, and installation, Scruffy Dog Creative Group protected creative consistency across three very different museums. The integration of creative and production teams reduced fragmentation and safeguarded quality from early sketches through to final installation. For operators working to tight budgets and schedules, this model provides a proven way of aligning vision with practical outcomes.
Working with historic spaces
Scruffy Dog Creative Group also had to adapt designs to the constraints of repurposed port wine cellars. Moisture, acoustic control, and irregular geometry were addressed without losing the character of the architecture. The company’s approach shows how heritage buildings can be made to meet modern visitor expectations while retaining their distinctive atmosphere.
Conclusion
Scruffy Dog Creative Group’s work on Planet Cork, The Wine Experience, and Porto Region Across the Ages demonstrates how Concept Design & Development, technical design, and in-house fabrication can deliver museum experiences that are engaging, legible, and operationally sound. The approach kept narrative intent aligned with fabrication outcomes, and helped establish a coherent visitor offer across multiple buildings.
For Porto, the district strengthens its position as a cultural destination. For the museum and heritage sector, it offers a practical example of how specialist partners can collaborate with operators to realise projects that respect subject matter and meet contemporary audience expectations.
