Nancy--

It is a daunting task compiling such a list since there are so many  
projects out there and so many variables. There are lots of museum  
building and expansion projects out there, very few of them are  
directly comparable because of difference in community size and make- 
up, resource availability (all kinds: collections, a building,  
endowment or governmental support, etc.), the focus of the museum  
(history, art, science), the kinds of audiences served (tourists,  
researchers, kids, community members), the scale and scope of the  
project, location, competing venues, etc.

Unlike doing these kinds of projections for a commercial enterprise,  
where one Starbucks is much like another, every museum is different,  
so there are few standard rules that apply--what works one place may  
need to be substantially reworked to work in a different place. Any  
comparison must be taken with a large margin of potential error.

Rather than focusing on new or expanded museums, I might look at  
existing successful museums of comparable size and scope to identify  
the characteristics that make them work well for their communities.  
You can then use these as a benchmark for your project and for  
assessing the new or expanded museums that turn up in the process. I  
think AASLH might have some resources for identifying similar museums.

Best of luck,

Guy

-----------------------------

Guy Hermann, LEED GA
Museum Insights: Master Planning for Museums
860-245-1323
http://www.museuminsights.com

On Aug 18, 2009, at 2:51 PM, Nancy Geyer wrote:

> Our board and staff are working on a business plan for a new museum  
> we hope to build in the not too distant future. We are trying to  
> make projections on visitation numbers and revenue for the new  
> museum. I am hoping to get some data from other museums that have  
> expanded or built new museum buildings in the past ten years. So I  
> am compiling a list. I will need to eventually filter the list to  
> cities and museums of comparable size to ours but right now I am  
> just trying to put together the preliminary list.  If you know of  
> such a museum would you mind shooting me an e-mail with the name and  
> location? Thanks so much.
>
> Nancy
>
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