Margaret,

I sent your inquiry to two architects who specialize
in designing non-profit institutional projects. Here
are their replies:

--- "Rizzo, Joe" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Subject: RE: Fwd: [MUSEUM-L] looking for basic info
> on building a museum
> Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:42:18 -0400
> From: "Rizzo, Joe" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: "Claudio Veliz CV A" <[log in to unmask]>,
> 	"Glenn A. Walsh" <[log in to unmask]>
> CC: "Glenn Walsh" <[log in to unmask]>
> 
> Glenn,
> 
>  
> 
> I spoke to Nick and he agrees with Claudio. He said
> he didn't believe
> the kind of comprehensive text your friend requested
> exists, really,
> since there is little that one museum shares with
> another except with
> regard to practices for conservation, lighting
> levels, materials, room
> heights depending on exhibits, etc.  
> 
>  
> 
> He said that all museums begin with a "story" to
> tell and the audience
> it wants to reach, and then works back and forth
> between resources,
> operations costs, and all the rest.  For example,
> one good electronic
> interactive exhibit could cost more than a whole
> traditional building
> filled with static display cases....so it's all over
> the map, and they
> need a museum planning professional to walk them
> through this.  They
> need this regardless of their size.
> 
>  
> 
> Best,
> 
> Joe
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> JOSEPH C. RIZZO, AIA, ALA
> Principal
> RMJM Hillier
> 500 Alexander Park, Princeton, NJ 08543-6395 | T 609
> 452-8888 | F 609
> 452-8332 | C 609 649-2596 | www.rmjmhillier.com
> <http://www.rmjmhillier.com/> 
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: Claudio Veliz CV A
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 7:06 AM
> To: Glenn A. Walsh; Rizzo, Joe
> Cc: Glenn Walsh
> Subject: Re: Fwd: [MUSEUM-L] looking for basic info
> on building a museum
> 
>  
> 
> Hi Glenn -
> 
>         Has your museum developed a Programming
> document? That is, a
> detailed definition of the organizational needs,
> existing resources and
> intended goals, physical pant requirements and so
> forth?
> 
> Cheers - Claudio
> 
> At 04:17 PM 7/9/2007, Glenn A. Walsh wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> FYI gaw
> 
> --- Margaret M <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> > Date:         Mon, 9 Jul 2007 10:10:19 -0500
> > From:         Margaret M <[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: [MUSEUM-L] looking for basic info on
> > building a museum
> > To:           [log in to unmask]
> > 
> > I'm on the board of my local historical society,
> and
> > we're considering
> > expanding our museum. Currently, we have a house
> > museum and a library
> > (hosted in a separate building). We have our wish
> > list of features,
> > but it's become clear to me that I don't know
> nearly
> > enough about
> > building a museum or addition. Our big decision is
> > whether to build an
> > addition or to renovate an existing historical
> > structure.
> > 
> > I've worked with a group dedicated to historic
> > preservation, so I know
> > a fair amount about that process. I suspect that
> the
> > difficulty of
> > renovation is being overstated (as it usually is),
> > but since I don't
> > know much about museum requirements, I can't
> > convince people
> > otherwise.
> > 
> > Does anyone have suggestions for good textbooks on
> > the subject? (Even
> > better would be something I could access via the
> > web, but experience
> > tells me that I'm not likely to find good,
> detailed
> > information
> > available free.) Also good would be any handbooks
> > about how to go
> > through the process of expanding a museum's
> physical
> > structure.
> > 
> > I strongly suspect that this organization is not
> > ready for expansion
> > (for example, we don't even have strategic 1-year,
> > 5-year, or 10-year
> > plans), but without some outside authority to back
> > me up, I haven't
> > been too successful at slowing down the rush.
> > 
> > Unless you want to post to the whole list, I can
> > take suggestions
> > off-list. I'll compile a list and then post it to
> > Museum-L.
> > 
> > -- 
> > Margaret
> > [log in to unmask]

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh
Electronic Mail - < [log in to unmask] >
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