Making the Museum

What if there were just five important things to remember when you build a museum?
  

What if the most important one of them all — had nothing to do with architecture? Which costs more in the end: building the museum, or operating the building? (The answer might surprise you.) Is it better to be bold, or to be subtle? What’s the difference between how design teams experience a museum project — and how visitors experience it in the end?

 

Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by David Greenbaum, FAIA (museum architect, Gensler) to discuss How to Build a Museum. Hint: it all boils down to five things you’ll want to remember.

 

Along the way: designing a 200-year building, historic re-enactors, cap-ex versus op-ex, and the “elephant-dog-gerbil principle”.

 

1. The Importance of “Esprit de Corps” —

(Team spirit.) It starts with the client’s clear vision, ambition, high expectations and drive. Informal relationships outside the org chart make cross-disciplinary collaboration easier. Team spirit is vital because there will be many challenges down the road.    

 

2. Consider the Full Life Cycle —

Mission, Vision, Design, Construction, Operations. Museums do fail. Look at projects holistically. Museum buildings are a substantial investment, but the capital costs will be outstripped by operational costs in short order.

 

3. Celebrate the Uniqueness — 

Be bold or be subtle. But be memorable. Each museum project offers an opportunity to help distinguish itself in the community it serves. Make visitors feel something.  

 

4. There is One Visitor Experience —

Art, architecture, and interpretation need to be integrated. It all adds up to form one experience. Close collaboration is key along with the client and design teams.

 

5. Build to Last —

Design with flexibility in mind.  Change is inevitable and sometimes unpredictable. Provide a robust infrastructure for technology.  Use long lasting materials and building systems.

 

 

David Greenbaum, FAIA, is an expert in the design of museums, performing arts venues, visitor

attractions, institutional, and mixed-use projects. In a 40-year career that includes multiple projects of national significance for the Smithsonian Institution, The National Gallery of Art, the Architect of the Capitol, and other sites in the U.S. and overseas, David has developed an international practice in museum design and comparable visitor attractions, with a particular interest in the development of cultural districts. His project work has been recognized with over 75 national and regional design honors and published in more than 300 articles, underscoring the importance of his work in the architectural and museum communities, as well as the larger public realm. David served as the 2019 Chairman of AIA National Committee on Design. After almost 35 years at SmithGroup, David changed paths to start helping clients develop and implement the planning and design of their cultural facilities. At Gensler, he now works with cultural institutions to help put the parts in place for enabling successful projects. He has great capacity for integrating the team and advancing complex projects to enable success.

 

Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. 

This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com

 

 

David by Email: David_Greenbaum@gensler.com

David by Phone: +1 (202) 257-7592

David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-greenbaum-faia/

 

Website: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contact

Jonathan’s Email: alger@cgpartnersllc.com

Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalger

C&G Partners: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com

   

Like the episode? Try the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:
https://www.makingthemuseum.com