Museum Planning

Museum Planning is the creation of documents to describe a new museum’s vision, the visitor experience and an organizational plan for a new institution, or one undergoing a major expansion or change in focus.

Museum plans may include some or all of the following:

  • A review of institutional resources, assets and collections
  • A review of local attractions and museums
  • A new or updated mission and vision
  • Collections objectives of the new institution
  • Educational objectives of the new institution
  • Experience objectives of the new institution
  • Potential visitor and other audience and user groups
  • Interpretive Plan
  • Exhibition storyines
  • Visitor flow diagrams
  • Thematic treatments
  • Preliminary exhibition layout
  • Style Boards
  • Exhibition Renderings
  • Space Needs Analysis
  • Site selection
  • Architectural Concepts
  • Preliminary staffing plan
  • Preliminary project schedule
  • Preliminary project budget

Plans are created by a museum planning team, that includes; museum staff and volunteers, members of the board of directors, community members, and representatives of city and state planning agencies working together with a museum planner, architects, exhibit designers, economists, and other specialist consultants

The objective of a Museum Plan is to create a clear and concise “road map” for the creation of new institution and a sustainable long term museum vision.

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