I'm involved in a similar situation and you probably will find that it's more involved and complex than intitially thought.  You may want to assemble a board first and then hire a consultant to guide you through a feasibility study.  Make sure the consultant understands your concept and mission statements.  Feasibility studies can cost anywhere from a few thousand to several tens of thousands of dollars.  But they do provide you with a look at the needs of your community and the likelihood of your success.  On the basis of that study and your concept/mission statements, you can then take the "package" to funding sources for seed money.  That seed money will then fund continued planning and the launch of a capital campaign.  A business plan should also be initiated as soon as possible, but it may have to wait until the feasibility study is complete.  A design firm can wait until the capital campaign is underway.  
But you will need initial drawings sooner, rather than later.  You also may want to flesh out ideas about content and include them in the package you take to funding sources.  This is a fluid process and you can expect many changes along the way.  

Jeff Tenuth
Indiana State Museum



-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Joe Sciortino
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 3:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] New Science Center - Steps 1 thru 5?


Hi All -
I'm new to the listserv and new to this side of the museum world (have be=
en
a visitor for decades).  I am helping a group that is in the very, very
initial phases of planning a new science center.  We have a "concept"
document that outlines our mission & purpose, a probable location and=
 at
least one significant funding interest.  My basic questions is:  now what=
?

From browsing the archives, I see that I should get familiar with "Star=
ting
Right" by G. George & C. Sherrell-Leo.  I plan on purchasing on Amazo=
n after
completing this post.

In the interim, in what order should they be pursuing the following activ=
ities:
1) Hire consultant for feasibility study/market study
2) Assemble Board
3) Hire design firm
4) Create Business Plan
5) Fundraise

The group is trying to do some or all of the above right now, but I'm
sensing some are more critical than others, chronologically speaking.  =


Thanks for your time,
Joe Sciortino
[log in to unmask]

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