Why Would Anyone Hire a Designer?

Mark Walhimer Exhibition Designer Leave a Comment

Almost all of my favorite projects didn’t have design help. City MuseumMutterExploratorium The places grew out of a passion to create. No one can design that, it happens. You can create a culture and an environment that fosters creativity, exploration and discovery, but you can’t design it.

In Lean Times, New Ways to Reach Out

Mark Walhimer Uncategorized Leave a Comment

By Carol Vogel, Published: March 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/arts/artsspecial/19strategies.html?ref=artsspecial New York Times Special Section SOME 150 yoga fanatics, mats in hand, gathered in the second-floor atrium of the Museum of Modern Art one recent Saturday morning. They were there to “Put the oM in MoMA,” as the invitation read. Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times Ellen Wright, via Flickr A photo …

Why Are You Building A Museum?

Mark Walhimer Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Sound like an easy question? Often I lead museum planning sessions for new museums.  The museum has part of the funds raised to create the museum, they have their non profit status, have created a Board of Directors and now are ready to take the next steps. Create fund raising documents Create an Umbrella Concept Start to research potential exhibits …

$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 …

Happy Holidays!

Mark Walhimer Museum Planning LLC Leave a Comment

Wishing you all the best in 2009 Snowy owl’s beautiful white plumage helps to hide it in its Arctic habitat. Only the males are completely white. Chicks are dark and spotted, while the females are white with spots on their wings. National Geographic Photograph by Norbert Rosing

Context over Content in LA

Mark Walhimer Museum Planning Leave a Comment

By HOLLAND COTTER, Published: August 26, 2008, New York Times NEW YORK TIMES LINK LOS ANGELES — The Latin American collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is back on view after three years’ absence. And the reinstallation opens with a piquant flourish in a display of ancient pre-Columbian art that doubles as a solo show for a …

“The Deep” at the Hong Kong Science Museum

Mark Walhimer Hands On Exhibits, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

A friend recommended that I visit the Hong Kong Science Center. Went on a Wednesday night, Wednesday is the free night at the Museum. Lots of families and young couples on dates. I started at the top floor and worked my way from the third floor to the basement. The Museum has lots Exploratorium Cookbook exhibits. As I was leaving …

Hong Kong Wetlands Park – “Wise Use of Money?”

Mark Walhimer Project Management, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

In preparation for my trip to China, I was looking for information about the new Hong Kong Wetlands Park and came across this very interesting critique: Hong Kong Outdoors Website In the interest of full disclosure, I worked on the project for Academy Studios, who fabricated the artificial trees, plants and rock work. I am excited to give my critique …

Asia Tourism and Attraction Summit and the IAAPA Asian Attractions Expo

Mark Walhimer Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Over the next two weeks I will be in China for the “The Asia Tourism and Attraction Summit” at the Mandarin Oriental, Macau; the second conference “The IAAPA Asian Attractions Expo” is at the Venetian, Macau. IAAPA Asia Attractions Expo “Asian Attractions Expo is the one-stop event in Asia for the leisure and attractions industry. Visitors to the show have …

Engaging constable: revealing art with new technology

Mark Walhimer Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Great research on interactivity in Museums: ACM Digital Library “Museums increasingly deploy new technologies to enhance visitors’ experience of their exhibitions. They primarily rely on touch-screen computer systems, PDAs and digital audio-guides. Tate Britain recently employed two innovative systems in one of their major exhibitions of John Constable’s work; a gestural interface and a touch-screen panel, both connected to large …