I also work for a small museum. We're in the process of moving to a larger
facility, and are doing a lot of exhibit development in conjunction with
our
architectural firm. It's a major tug of war to NOT become a third party's
vision of the typical museum. Small museum's usually have a flavor all
their own.
They're unique, unlike the bigger institutions which have miles of space,
cookie-cutter exhbits, and no docent or educator contact with visitors.
Take a look at what works for your place.