Ancestry HQ | Rapt Studio

Every single one of us is a living, breathing collection of data. Ancestry can take that data
— any kind of data, really — and translate it into stories of human connection. The story
of Ancestry itself is a tale of family, genealogy, migration, and attention to detail. To create
the company’s ideal space, Rapt Studio brought all those components together, turning
abstract ideas into something you can touch, see, and feel.
That meant making sure the space felt like home for both the young, agile tech side of
things and Ancestry’s longtime employees — self-described “crusty book nerds” who’ve
been there for nearly four decades. Throughout the building, you can find portraits of
senior employees paired with archival photographs of their relatives found through the
website. It shows firsthand how historical imagery gets personal in context.
At the entry point to the building, there’s a multi-colored, multi-dimensional graphic
installation in the lobby. The different colors represent different ancestries of various
populations, like you might see in a map showing migrations over time. Because the colors
are repeated, it suggests a kind of shared global heritage. It’s one of many examples of the
link between family and global genealogy, including break areas and family rooms that
serve as central, collaborative spaces on each floor. These are supplemented by a variety
of dens, living rooms, and kitchen tables arranged to help teams work and relax side-byside.
The cafe is a nod to “Sunday dinner at Grandma’s house,” and includes a long.
communal table beside a pizza oven, surrounded by decorative plates from around the
world. It reminds us of the shared ways we all break bread together.
Ancestry goes beyond connecting you to a long-lost relative. It can also show you how we
all go back to just a few big populations, a few big families. Now it has a headquarters built
on that brand principle and identity.