Open Forum

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?

One of the first members of the team would be an architect with knowledge of historic preservation. Also, it is often overlooked, but many old buildings have quite a considerable amount of asbestos-containing building materials. It depends on the type of building, and when it was built. Even homes contain asbestos products. You may want to have a design professional with experience in conducting asbestos surveys in school buildings look into this before you move the buildings into the new museum space. Most states license such design professionals, so you can probably get a list from the relevant state agency.

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?

Hello Hope, And congrats on getting this opportunity! I'm very excited for you. Some of my advice might change depending on how big or small you are now and how big or small your next space will be. In addition, the type of collection will guide advice from folks here. Without doing an incredible deep dive into MaUS I'd say you're. local history museum. As background, I've done 2 new spaces in my career. A 4,700 contemporary art space, and a 125,000 s/f expansion for the Crocker Art Museum. I love the process!

My biggest advice is to get the users of the building in the design meetings, from beginning to end. NOT just a informational feedback meeting in the beginning, because things change and those changes along the way can have serious consequesnces. This building is almost literally set in stone, so get it right NOW!

I'll provide some overarching thoughts and you can let me know where you want me to niche down more:

1. The look and design of the exterior are important, it's your first impression.
2. The look and feel of the interior are just as important plus wayfinding could be paramount.
3. Usability for the staff is crucial - get the users of the space in on the meetings, please please, please!
4. Do not let the architects rule the roost, sorry Wesley, no offense, but TOO often the keys are handed over to the architects and usability goes out the window. Sometimes I feel like the photographs for their personal portfolios trump usability. I can't say why for sure, but it happens regularly.
5. Object storage considerations
6. Egress from the loading dock to changing space
7. Egress for trucks to the loading dock
8. Ceiling heights
9. Ceiling anchors
10. Trim and top and bottom of walls to make painting rotating galleries easier
11. Size of elevators
12. Floor materials - can a lift drive on it to service lights, is it hard-wearing, etc
13. Receptacles in the floors
14. Receptacles around the rooms
15. Data ports in the walls
16. Wifi repeaters throughout the spaces
17. Width of parking spaces outside
18. I could go on.....

I'm happy to review plans as they come to you. I can tell you if I notice anything that's missing.

Good Luck!

Matt

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?

Early in my museum career I was part of such a design team, planning a new 200,000 ft-sq building. We had a top architect in the field guiding the master plan, and all the stakeholders from the museum's departments were represented at the table. After three years of work, fundraising and construction we proudly opened, only to find that our attention to visitor amenities and traffic flow was woefully inadequate. The best example of this was the main bank of public restrooms, put where there was plenty of space - in the basement, so as to not take away from the exhibit plan. They remained little-used for the next 26 years that I was there, and not a day went by when I didn't curse myself that we didn't consider such vital aspects while in our zeal to celebrate our forward thinking on exhibits. So, Mary, have someone on the team to represent the stroller moms, the mobility-impaired, the field trip groups, and the everyday visitors who you want to spend lots of time with you AND easily find and use the restroom.

Hello Hope, And congrats on getting this opportunity! I'm very excited for you. Some of my advice might change depending on how big or small you are now and how big or small your next space will be. In addition, the type of collection will guide advice from folks here. Without doing an incredible deep dive into MaUS I'd say you're. local history museum. As background, I've done 2 new spaces in my career. A 4,700 contemporary art space, and a 125,000 s/f expansion for the Crocker Art Museum. I love the process!

My biggest advice is to get the users of the building in the design meetings, from beginning to end. NOT just a informational feedback meeting in the beginning, because things change and those changes along the way can have serious consequesnces. This building is almost literally set in stone, so get it right NOW!

I'll provide some overarching thoughts and you can let me know where you want me to niche down more:

1. The look and design of the exterior are important, it's your first impression.
2. The look and feel of the interior are just as important plus wayfinding could be paramount.
3. Usability for the staff is crucial - get the users of the space in on the meetings, please please, please!
4. Do not let the architects rule the roost, sorry Wesley, no offense, but TOO often the keys are handed over to the architects and usability goes out the window. Sometimes I feel like the photographs for their personal portfolios trump usability. I can't say why for sure, but it happens regularly.
5. Object storage considerations
6. Egress from the loading dock to changing space
7. Egress for trucks to the loading dock
8. Ceiling heights
9. Ceiling anchors
10. Trim and top and bottom of walls to make painting rotating galleries easier
11. Size of elevators
12. Floor materials - can a lift drive on it to service lights, is it hard-wearing, etc
13. Receptacles in the floors
14. Receptacles around the rooms
15. Data ports in the walls
16. Wifi repeaters throughout the spaces
17. Width of parking spaces outside
18. I could go on.....

I'm happy to review plans as they come to you. I can tell you if I notice anything that's missing.

Good Luck!

Matt

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?

Our museum has a very exciting opportunity to physically move buildings into a completely redesigned museum space in the next 5-10 years. My task as the lead curator (not the museum director) is to put together a team of professionals in a Museum Planning group to provide technical guidance and information to create a comprehensive development plan for the new museum. This group will not be responsible for financial development.

Who needs to be on a museum (re)design team, and what will they bring to the table? I anticipate needs for object collections treatment and movement (including trains and other specialist knowledge), designing new exhibits, architectural needs, and much more. Where do I begin on a project like this? What resources exist?