Museum Community and Institutional Values

Mark Walhimer Exhibition Costs, Future of Museums, Museum Business Planning, Museum Feasibility Study, Museum Planning Leave a Comment

In the past, we could estimate costs on a low-cost basis and then build museum business models to have operational costs and unearned income create a museum business plan.

The equations are no longer so simple. As an example, basing costs on non-union labor and minimum wage without benefits could be rejected by communities as not aligning with their personal values.

Museum Exhibition Audit

Mark Walhimer Exhibition Costs, Exhibition Reviews, Hands On Exhibits, Interactive Exhibit Philosophy, Kinetic Sculpture, Museum Public Programming Leave a Comment

I am currently in Saigon, Vietnam, and visited the War Remnants Museum, a very powerful experience! As I am walking through the Museum I keep noticing small issues that are easily changed, but have a large impact on the visitor experience such as lighting, wayfinding and heights of graphic panels. Recently I have completed an exhibition audit for the Mobius …

Washing Machine?

Mark Walhimer Exhibition Costs, Infastructure, Museum Planning Leave a Comment

Washing Machine?  What does a washing machine have to do with with museum planning? Most medium to large museums have a laundry facility, why? Washing of uniforms Washing of guest’s clothing Washing of rags What does this have to do with museum planning? What is your policy on uniforms?  Can staff wear street clothes?  A museum apron? Museum Shirt? Who …

Tutankhamun and Take Me There Egypt – exhibit review

Mark Walhimer Children's Museum, Exhibition Costs, Exhibition Reviews, Hands On Exhibits, Interactive Exhibit Philosophy, Project Management Leave a Comment

Tutankhamun shabti, © SANDRO VANNINI From: Nuvo,  “Indy’s Alternative Newspaper” Posted on July 8, 2009 by Julianna Thibodeaux Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, one of the most high-profile blockbusters the city has seen recently, has just opened in unlikely quarters: the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. This local institution, touted as the world’s largest children’s museum, is actually …

Museum Definition

Mark Walhimer Art, Exhibition Costs, Interactive Exhibit Philosophy, Kinetic Sculpture, Museum Planning, Project Management, Types of Museums 1 Comment

From Wikipedia Natural History Museum London, Photo by DAVID ILIFF “A museum is a “permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment, for the purposes of education, study, and enjoyment”, as defined by the International Council …

$24 Per Person!, California Academy of Science

Mark Walhimer Exhibition Budgeting, Exhibition Costs, Exhibition Reviews, Museum Governance, Museum Planning, Natural History Museum, Science Center, Starting A Museum

At $24 per person, the California Academy of Science is setting a tone before you enter the door, two adults and two children, $78 dollars!  for a public institution.  This is a violation of the trust between a learning institution and the public.  That is before we even discuss if the experience is worth it and I would say it …