As tanks roll toward the National Mall for tomorrow’s rather unconventional Fourth of July events, a markedly different spectacle will open just down the street on a smaller stretch of grass.

LAWN, the sixth iteration of the National Building Museum’s annual Summer Block Party series (you may recall pillow forts and beachy ball pits from past years), opens tomorrow in the museum’s Great Hall, running through September 2. And it’s huge—the largest exhibit in terms of square footage the museum has seen yet.

“We started with the goal of transforming the Great Hall into a space that, as much as possible, would pull visitors in physically and emotionally,” says David Rockwell, founder and president of design and architecture firm Rockwell Group.

For LAWN, the National Building Museum teamed up with the LAB at Rockwell Group, the firm responsible for the museum’s most-attended exhibit, PLAY WORK BUILD (which launched in 2012 and remains open on the second floor). Rockwell Group works across several industries, with projects including Nobu restaurants, new Manhattan arts center The Shed, and sets for Broadway musicals Kinky Boots and Tootsie.

The exhibit’s entry point is an assemblage of blue and white carpeted squares fashioned to mimic clouds, positioned just below a giant banner with “LAWN” affixed in mossy letters. From there, visitors file up a lengthy ramp into the main space, a huge, hilly lawn worthy of the Ingalls sisters.

There’s a lot to take in—and not just with your eyes. It may be wise to wear flip-flops and then promptly stow them off to the side; this grass—a fully recyclable, “USDA-certified BioPreferred product” that will be reused in future projects, according to the museum—is meant to be felt by both fingers and toes. I immediately dart up the hills (there are stairs for those who aren’t fans of steep climbs) to the rows of hammocks that beckon from the other end of the space.

These blue hammocks are not your average variety. Hung from a ceiling grid about 100 feet above, the hammocks move quite a bit—and not always back and forth. As I spin in circular and parabolic shapes, I’m treated to recordings of chirping birds (part of the soundscape crafted by Yessian Music) and soothing narratives from the likes of chef/philanthropist José Andrés, I.M.P. owner Seth Hurwitz, and tennis star Venus Williams.

In these “Summer Stories,” 19 well-known Americans share personal tales about, well, the summer in recordings that play from speakers integrated into the hammock structure.

“That summer was a big step for me and my career and it’s still a big step for me every time I step on the courts,” says the recorded voice of Venus Williams, referencing her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, in 2000. “I’ll remember that moment and I’ll look forward to these moments that are going to happen to me, until that last day that I don’t go to Wimbledon. But I’ll still go out and play on those courts and enjoy the lawns.”

After begrudgingly peeling myself out of my hammock after a delicious rest (they may want to consider time restrictions), I stroll past games of cornhole and make my way toward the croquet mallets, which have been paired with squishy balls, presumably to avoid injuries to anyone who might be lounging on a nearby lawn towel. There’s a lemonade and cookie stand not too far away, which will remain open throughout the season.

Visitors can also get in on a little augmented reality at LAWN; through an exhibit app, users can see, catch, and release fireflies that appear on their screen. And special programming—including yoga, film screenings, educational opportunities and “late nights” with live music—are sprinkled through the summer.

For Rockwell, who won a Tony Award in 2016 for designing the set of She Loves Me, creating LAWN wasn’t all that different from whipping up sets for Broadway.

“One big similarity is they’re both ephemeral. Theater’s only alive for the time you’re in there and the actors are working; otherwise, it’s an inert space,” Rockwell says. “In some ways, that’s what this is; this really honors an audience.”

As I stand on one of the LAWN’s lower hills, I spot a small boy rolling through the grass, purely delighted.

LAWN is on display at the National Building Museum July 4-Sept. 2. Admission is $10-$16; free for National Building Museum members. Tickets for late nights and special programming are sold separately. Much of the exhibit is wheelchair accessible.