Good Afternoon Susan,
As you requested.......If I were to recommend a single published resource
to provide assistance in designing a 1500 square foot historical museum; I
would recommend Raymond O. Harrison's Technical Requirements of Small
Museums. Revised Edition. Techical Papers no. 1  Ottawa: Canadian Museums
Association, (my bookshelf has the 1969 edition -- hopefully, it has been
revised since then).  This 27 page "gem" of a publication would be very
useful.
With regards to percentages of floor space, here's my two cents:
1.)  30% exhibition galleries and public programming areas (such as a
classroom or meeting area);
2.)  30% collection storage and processing areas ;
3.)  40% everything else (hallways, lobby, museum retail area and retail
storage, non-collections storage, restrooms, heating and cooling mechanical
areas HVAC, janitorial spaces, staff offices and meeting rooms, security,
exhibition fabrication area......etc., etc.).
Please note that most folks usually end up robbing #2 and #3 to get more of
#1 and after a couple of years start kicking themselves.....and
unfortunately, never stop kicking themselves.......I am speaking from
experience.
I hope this helps,
Wesley S. Creel
Administrator of Programs
Pink Palace Family of Museums
Memphis, Tennessee
U.S.A.
Telephone 901.624.6370
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www.memphismuseums.org

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