The Role of Architecture in Defining the Museum’s Image

7/22/2019 The Role of Architecture in Defining the Museums Image

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The Museum Brand Footprint

The Role ofArchitecturein

Defining the Museums Imag

Inside:Foreword IFC

Overview Page 3

A Global Brand Page 6

Clearly Local Page 8

Larger and Diversified Page 10

Redefined Page 14

A Newcomer Page 16

Renaissance Page 19

A Clean Slate Page 22

Convergence Page 24

Evolving the Footprint Page 27

Footnotes Page 33


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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT

The first museum is thought to date from the 3rd century BCE when King Ptolemy I found

the State Museum of Alexandria, Egypt. Museums have served as public repositories

cultural artifacts, societal memory, and scholarship in all historical periods since Periclean Greek temples display

statues, paintings, and votive offerings. The collection that would become the Uffizi Gallery was established in Florenduring the Italian Renaissance, and, in 1683, the Ashmolean opened in Oxford, England, marking the first use of t

word museum in the English language. Finally, in 1793, the French Republic opened the Louvre with its encycloped

art treasures assembled by the French royalty.

The first museum in the United States was likely Harvard University's Repository of Curiosities, begun in 1750, an

the Library Society of Charleston South Carolina, founded in 1773. The last half of the 19th Century in Americ

witnessed an explosion of new institutions including the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut in 1842, t

Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. in 1846, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 187

The one constant in the history of museums has been change. The use, function, and audience for these collectio

have constantly evolved, and institutions that survive over centuries do so because they adapt to change. The fi

museums were repositories for private collections of objects or curiosities and were open for only the social elite

serious scholars. In the Middle Ages, churches and monasteries were the holders of religious relics, jewels, precio

metals, rare manuscripts, and fabrics, and The Uffizi collection was initially in a private residence. It was not un

the proliferation of universal exhibitions in the 19th century that the notion of a public institution, as w

understand it today was first introduced. In the 20th century, institutions like the Brooklyn Museum began

shape more and more of their programs to satisfy the increasing need for public education. In light of the soc

activism of the 1960s, museums were forced to reexamine the effectiveness of their public service.

In todays world of digital communication, museums have to adapt once again to attract a newer and young

audience (as their traditional audience is aging). This reportMuseum Brand Footprintby DMD discusses how museum

today may take advantage of these new conditions to increase their audience and effectiveness as cultural institution

The paper analyzes the current state of museums and their ability to deal with change by questioning directors

institutions globally. It does this by focusing on the role new buildings or additions play in the future of the

institutions and how these administrators communicate the new conditions created by these buildings. The repo

uncovers some fascinating facts about museums before making recommendations about how they can take this ne

ForewordWilliam Menking

Founder and Editor, The Architects Newspaper


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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 1

role to the public. It begins for example by pointing out that it is often assumed that museums today want -an

often spend a great deal of effort creating - architectural landmarks because wealthy individuals prefer givimoney to something that gives them naming rights. While this is undoubtedly a consideration for any museu

looking to expand this is far too simplistic a view. The report quotes Florian Idenburg, formerly a Senior Associa

at SANAA, the Japanese architecture firm that designed the Glass Pavilion in Toledo, Ohio, "The interesting thin

about the Toledo Museum is that it's their clear mission to serve the community as it is the only civic building in

large radius." Thus while museums and their directors increasingly need to think about funding and managing dono

this report makes clear that they still see their function primarily as a public one and that all those involved in t

creation of new museums should heed this at their own risk of irrelevance.

Further, while some museums clearly intend to build dramatic and iconic new buildings to house art - New Yor

Guggenheim is the best known of these - even this is more complicated that one might expect. DMD poin

out that: architecture is a major part of what the Guggenheim Museum offers to visitors, is in line with th

institutions missionto promote appreciation and understanding of modern and contemporary art and architectur

and that many visitors come to see the building before the art. But not all museums have the same idea about ho

architecture can affect their institutional mandate or audience. Walker Art Center, known as an institution th

champions cutting-edge artists and ideas, did not want just an iconic building from its architects Herzog

deMeuron, but one that reflects the non-traditional nature of the art center.

The insights that the paper highlights regarding museum thinking about architectural additions are important, b

the value of this report is its recommendations for how museums can communicate these changes to the publicparticularly to newer and less traditional audiences. It makes many obvious suggestions like reaching out wi

stronger Web presences, and to engage with new technologies like YouTube, Second Life, and electronic commerc

But perhaps its most powerful recommendations are those that suggest ways for museums to engage in commun

outreach to a potential public, particularly to new ethnically and culturally diverse young populations. The Bilb

Guggenheim for example realized that while tourists come in great numbers to see their Frank Gehry design

building and impressive collection of art it was still important for them to engage local audiences to remain relevan

The Art Gallery of Ontario and the Toledo Museum of Art both faced initial criticism from their local audiences perha

because of their adventurous architecture and spent time consulting with the local communities.

If museums want to grow and expand they would do well to read this report and heed the advice of the report

writers, who, it should be pointed out, are from the very generation that museums must engage, if they are

successfully adapt to contemporary culture.

The one constant in the history of museums has been change. The use, function, and

audience for these collections have constantly evolved, and institutions that survive over

centuries do so because they adapt to change.


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Capital

Campaigns, Building

Construction,

and Renovation*

* Based on American Association of Museums 2005 survey of 800 museums nationwide. 1

23%

3.5B

of US museums, and 33% of

US art museums are engaged in acapital campaign

50%of the museums engaged ina capital campaign have begunor completed building construc-tion, renovation, or expansionin the past 3 years

$400The median costs per square footof new building construction,renovation, and expansion for artmuseums are $400, $365, and$163 respectively

17,000The median size of new buildingconstruction, renovation, andexpansion is 17,000, 15,000, and5,000 square feet respectively

Respondents collectivelyspent over $3.5B on building

construction and renovation inthe past 3 years

24

M

The median costs of newbuilding construction,renovation, and expansionfor art museums are $24M,$18M, and $2M respectively


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Overview

The marketing and brand function of museums has changed from event-based marketing centered on

calendar of exhibitions, openings, and collections to destination-based marketing. The museum

destination is more than its holdings - it is a visitor must-see, a must-experience architectural landma

defined as much by the celebrity of the architect as that of the artists on display. This new landscape, fund

by unprecedented capital campaigns, is forcing museums to define themselves through increasingly uniq

architecture. The trend is seen around the world from small towns to big cities. We call this t

Museum Brand Footprint: the unique way museums are using architecture to define the museum as

brand and a destination.

This paper, the second in DMDs series in studying brand footprints, looks at the challenges, best practiceand solutions facing eight museums from around the world at various stages of their brand evolutio

DMD was interested in the new brand stewardship role of the institutions leaders, the stresses that a

placed upon marketing communications departments, and the architects brand thought process. What w

discovered, and the reader will find in the case studies, is a host of useful branding and marketing strateg

which are applicable globally to museums that are beginning or in the midst of architectural projects.

.

The median goal of capital campaigns are $10M for museums in general and $20M for

art museums. For general museums, the goal is 3 times the size of the endowment. For art

museums, the goal is 2.45 times the size of endowment, 6 times the operating expenses and

37 times the non-operating expenses.


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Expansion needs forinstitutions surveyed-in order of importance

DMDOnline Survey

Results


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88%To raise the profileof the institution

85%To augment exhibition space

73%To improve existing facilities

54%To increase and diversify revenueand audiences

65%To transform the institution into adestination, increase scope ofactivities offered, and attract newgroups of interest

46%To stay relevant in the culturalenvironment

35%To stay competitive with othermuseums

38%To create programming andexhibits that appeal to theinterests of the core audience

15%To raise the profile of the city

4%Endowment

4%Improve accessibility for tourists

4%Get more of the permanentcollection on view and to createmore room for staff

4%To add storage space

4%To expand space for research andimprove laboratory space (behind-the-scenes)

4%Address the facilities datedinfrastructure


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Goals:

Be the leading global museum with a collection of modern

and contemporary art, reaching international audiences

through a network of museums and partnerships

Stay ahead of global trends in art by expanding into emerging

art markets, thus enhancing its audience and collection

Challenges:

Abu Dhabi currently is not considered a cultural destination.

Furthermore, it does not have an existing art establishment

to train local artists and curators

GAD will be the first non-western museum in the Guggenhei

network, and the first one located in the Asia continent

The foundation was previously retained to contribute to and/

to manage feasibility studies for private and public institution

interested in opening Guggenheim branches in the region

in the West Kawloon district of Hong Kong, in Singapore, and

in Taichung, Taiwan. But none of these projects progressed

beyond the exploration phase


1. A GLOBAL BRANDThe Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation looks into new architectural destinationsto expand its global presenceThe Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation operates five museums in the US and Europe New Yo

City, Las Vegas, Bilbao, Berlin, and Venice - and has partnerships with a number of institutions Europe. The Guggenheim is currently one of the best-known museum brands in the world. The foundatio

has vowed to continue its global expansion strategy in order to reach out to new audiences and is plan

ning to build a sixth museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (GAD), which will be designed by Frank Gehry an

opened in 2012.2 GAD will be one of the four museums on Saadiyat Island, part of the large developme

project that aims to turn the island into a high-end cultural tourist destination.


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Redefining The Brand with Architecture

Architecture is a major part of what the

Guggenheim museums offer to visitors. This is in

line with the institutions mission, which is to

promote appreciation and understanding of

modern and contemporary art and architecture.

Communicating the New Brand

The architecture of Guggenheim museums is a

major draw for audiences. Tourists make up 70-80% of

the visitors in the New York museum and often rank the

building higher than special exhibitions as a reason to visit.

Access to the building to host events is a factor for some corporate

memberships. The 1st Fridays parties aimed at the younger audience

in New York are successful partly because they offer a unique chance

for people to engage with the architecture after hours.

Iconic architecture is the defining part of each museums visual

identity and is used heavily in communications to engage various

audiences. Each museums website, advertisements, and membership

communications feature the buildings.

Though each museums architecture is different, there is a consistent

global institutional identity that unites all of the Guggenheims. The

Guggenheim Foundation has a contractual commitment with each

museum on brand and identity. The Guggenheim museums all use the

same font in their logo with a different color that subtly references

the architecture. For example, the New York museum color is Frank

Lloyd Wright Red.

The Guggenheim Bilbao is celebrating its tenth year in 2007 with

a major campaign to engage the local audiences in Spain. The

campaign features people pictured with the building and calls the

institution your museum. The advertisements, in Basque and

Spanish, run on radio, in print, on outdoor signage, and as guerillasignage around town. There is an elaborate website where visitors

can write congratulatory notes to the museum, read others notes,

design and send e-cards, and set reminders for the busy schedule of

anniversary events around town.

The Results

Guggenheim Bilbao has been a major success in terms of audience

attraction and turned Bilbao effect into an industry term used to

characterize a surge of cultural visitors drawn with the help of archi-

tecture. Bilbao has become a major tourist destinatio

after the museum opening. In 2005, eight years af

opening, the museum still drew more than 965,0

yearly visitors, more than half of whom were fro

abroad.3 A total of 1.36B Euros were pumped in

the local economy directly and indirectly. Thom

Krens, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim

Foundation who recently announced that he wa

stepping down, has been approached by 130 citie

to replicate the same success.4

Though some are skeptical of the destination potential, AbuDhabi is banking on four museums built by star architects to turn t

island into a major cultural destination. The $27B complex is expected

draw 3M tourists between the 2012 opening and 2015.5 Another UAE

city-state, Sharjah, has discovered the power of contemporary art in

creating a destination. The citys 8th biennale will take place in 2007,

with the participation of more than 80 international artists, with a

heavy representation of those from Arab and Muslim origins.

Krens explains, the issue isnt about the number of buildings or exhi

tions, but the number of people you directly engage with. If you add

up the visitors worldwide to Guggenheim Museums from last year

alone, thats 3 million people.6

Krens believes that, just like any goodbrand, the Guggenheim has become an article of faith consumer

trust that they will have a quality experience when they visit. Krens

said that Guggenheims international success has led to the tripling

attendance in New York. Success is also seen in terms of enriching

and augmenting the global collection due to international expansion

In the last 15 years, through partnerships abroad, the Guggenheim

collection has doubled.7

New branches contribute their unique artistic points of view in order

to create global experiences at Guggenheims around the world.

Exhibitions shown in New York such as the 2005 exhibition of Basqu

sculpture Jorge Oteiza originated in Bilbao. The foundation's internationalliances helped with finances as well. Exhibitions appearing in NY

were largely sponsored by international corporations, foundations an

government agencies. In 2005, the Mexico Tourism Board supported

(The Aztec Empire), and in 2006 the State Corporation for Spanish

Cultural Action Abroad supported (Spanish Painting: From El Greco t

Picasso) for example. Management fees and operating income from t

other branches are also revenue sources for the foundation.


The BilbaoEffect

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has

been a major success in terms of

audience attraction and turned

Bilbao effect into an

industry term.

The visitor experience in relation to art and architecture is central to our brand

(Our architecture) is an asset that we are conscious of.

- Laura Miller, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum NY, Director of Marketing


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2.CLEARLY LOCALToledo Museum of Art usesarchitecture to emphasize itscommitment to communityand openness

The interesting thing about the Toledo Museum is that its their clear mission to serve the

community as it is the only civic building in a large radius

- Florian Idenburg, Former Senior Associate at SANAA, in charge of the Glass Pavilion Proje

Goals:

Celebrate Toledos history, and elevate appreciation and inter-

est in the art of glass making

Showcase the museums commitment to the community and

public accessibility

Present the glass collection in a distinct way without clashing

with the larger Toledo Museum of Art institutional identity

Challenges:

The museum was searching for ways to attract new and

diverse audiences

There was early opposition to the project in the community;

the historic Old West End district homeowners were worried

about the design changing the identity of their neighborhood

Toledo Museum of Art was founded in 1900 by Edward Drummond Libbey, a glass manufacturer wh

moved his business to Toledo and became responsible for turning Toledo into a major center for gla

production. Glass has been a part of the museums history since the beginning. In 2000, in preparation f

its centennial anniversary a year later, the museum decided to commission a building to house its glacollection and glass-making programs. Designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of the Japane

firm SANAA, the 76,000 square foot Glass Pavilion opened in August 2006.


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With free admission since opening, the Toledo Museum of Art has

always been committed to public access. To demonstrate this commit-

ment, the SANAA design is inviting, open, and non-intimidating.

The glass faade reveals the story of glass, from production to the

finished artwork.

with Toledo being the glass capital of the Midwest, the extensive

glass collection within the larger museum, and the glass programs that

are held within the Toledo Museum of Arts School of Art and Design

The desire was to combine these within a museum and make it a partof the larger campus. Florian Idenburg

The pavilion is situated within a museum complex that includes the

Beaux-Art style original museum and the Frank Gehry-designed Center

for Visual Arts. It sits across the street from the picturesque Old West

End district, a 25-block historic area of Victorian-era homes. The glass

faade reflects images of the surrounding buildings in a way to pay

tribute. Jordan Rundgren explains: "it has activated our campus. People

feel a little freer to travel in between the buildings and realize that the

museum is expanding, that it's much larger than they might realize.

While the Glass Pavilion is minimalist in its design, it does have a very

nice reflective quality, both literally and figuratively. It integrates itselfinto the campus to enhance the entire institution."


There was early opposition to the project in the community. The his-

toric Old West End district homeowners were worried about the design

changing the identity of their neighborhood. This was overcome

through vast community outreach. Museum leaders participated in

community church meetings and local TV programs to address the

public interest in the proposed design. Ultimately, upon seeing the final

building, the locals were pleased. The Glass Pavilion is now quite

popular within the community.

For the opening of the Glass Pavilion, the museum did not launch a

new graphic identity, but all of the advertising and collateral for the

opening events included the silhouette of a glassblower and pipe,

accompanied by phrases such as "Toledo's Newest Hot Spot," "Heart of

the Glass City," and "Be Blown Away." Advertising centered on the

"Preview Week" of events leading up to the public inauguration. They

included local and regional newspapers and magazines, billboards, an

local television network spots. The museum also partnered with the

local daily newspaper to produce a special section devoted to the Gla

Pavilion (including design, architects, construction, facilities, offering

collection, etc.).

With the help of a local public relations firm, the museum focused a

majority of their publicity efforts on national media relations. The tw

year strategy worked in three phases: construction/trade publication

architectural writers, and travel/fine art publications. Currently, the

museum website has a Glass Pavilion section that targets donors and

visitors, and highlights positive press mentions from major national

magazines. The website features the building with people inside inter

acting with the art or public programs, echoing that accessibility to

the people of Toledo was the primary goal of the Glass Pavilion.

The Results

Though the attendance increase is not projected because the museum

is free, an estimated 10,000 more visitors per month (30% increase)

come through the doors.

The docent-led tours of the Glass Pavilion and the glassblowingdemonstrations have been consistently filled to capacity. The interest

so high that the museum is adding additional glassblowing demonst

tions in summer 2007.

Overall positive reviews of the building turned the museum into a

destination for the national and international architectural tourists

which pleased the museum and the city officials, who saw the projec

as mainly a facility for the local community.

The city is enjoying the buildings popularity, which drew tourists fro

other parts of the United States and the world. Florian Idenburg

explains: I think [the building] is appreciated on two levels one onlocal level and the other on a global architectural level. I think the

community sees this as well. They never expected to have people fly

to Toledo to see the building, but people do.

It was the decision of the museum leaders in the year 2000 to create a location not only

made of glass, but to house the glass collection and juxtapose it with the creation of glass in

a studio setting. So [during] the visitor experience, you could see the history of glass, see th

importance of glass in architecture and see the creation of glass all at once.

- Jordan Rundgren, Director of Public Relations


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3.

(The goal) was a blend of looking forward to future audiences while also respecting

our tradition. Kim Mitchell, Director of Communications


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Taniguchi famously said of the new design If you give me enough

money, Ill design you a beautiful building. If you give me more, Ill

make it disappear.9

The new building was designed to make the institution more welcoming

to visitors while also blending into the city. The building has multiple

points of entry (on both 53rd and 54th streets) which remove the

stress of a single, large main entry point with long lines. The lobby,

which is open to the public, serves not only as an entry point to the

galleries, theatres, restaurant, stores, and garden, but also as a

mid-block passageway.

Inside, Stephen Rustow said the design does not only aim to create

new iconic spaces, but also to redefine the already existing iconic

spaces, such as reinforcing the centrality of the garden, referring

to the sculpture garden designed by Philip Johnson.

The building is conceived as an inside building.10 From the outside, it

is understated, with a faade that can easily be overlooked. Inside, the

building offers unique city perspectives, especially the skylight on the

sixth floor, to remind visitors that they are in the heart of midtown

New York. I want people to know they are in New York City, Taniguchi

said of the design.11

The new design reinforces MoMAs desire to be a dynamic institution

the area of contemporary art. Previously, the visitors started their tou

in the galleries of the older modern works and then made their way

into the contemporary galleries last. In the new building, focus on th

contemporary works is emphasized by the placement of the large

contemporary galleries on the first floor, across from the main entry

point. The contemporary galleries are designed without columns to

address the specific needs of larger contemporary pieces, as opposed

to the more intimate scale of the galleries upstairs where the permane

collection is shown. Also included are soundproof galleries for new

media and video. Temporary exhibition spaces on the top floor are flexi

enough to allow in-depth explorations of artists works. Overall exhibiti

space has nearly doubled.

The new building also allows for a more dynamic explanation of the

history of modern art. Previously galleries were designed like beads o

a string, going from one ism to another. The new design allows for anon-linear narrative, with possibilities to present different concurren

perspectives within the history of modern art. For example, the post-

impressionist gallery in the new design has two exits one leading t

cubism, the other to Fauvism, which was once not considered to be

of equal significance to Cubism, but has since been reached to

higher significance.12

LARGER AND DIVERSIFIEDThe Museum of Modern Art expands with present, and future, brand goals

Goals:

Keep the museum relevant through the next century, and

maintain a presence worldwide while respecting its history

Reinforce the museums mission to be a resource and a place

for education

Make the brand more welcoming to, and inclusive of, different

types of audiences

Diversify the ways in which the museum interacts with its

audience and with the city

Challenges:

MoMA was perceived to be an elitist institution

With younger institutions on the cutting edge of the

contemporary art environment, MoMA lacked the prominent

and innovative position that it desired

New Yorks Museum of Modern Art embarked on the most ambitious building project in its history

the early 1990s. In 1997, the board selected Yoshio Taniguchi for the design. The new MoMA,

630,000 square foot facility, opened its doors to the public in November 2004 in what the institution cal

its most extensive redefinition since its founding. 8


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In addition, the new eight-story Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman

Education Center and Research Building features significantly more

room for public programs and houses a library, museum archives,

curatorial offices, classrooms and The Celeste Bartos Theater.

Museum Director Glenn Lowry said of the new MoMA: the ambition

was to ensure that we constantly surprise visitors. Regularity kills the

experience. We wanted more nuance, a less linear sense of art history,

by encouraging serendipitous discoveries and juxtapositions. 13


During Construction

During construction in Manhattan between 2002 and 2004, MoMA

closed its Manhattan facilities and relocated to Queens. This transitional

space provided an opportunity to keep MoMA top-of-mind and a plat-

form to communicate the changes that were to come. The museum

recognized that people viewed the new space as very much a preview

to its future identity. The MoMA Builds exhibition, shown at MoMA

Manhattan in Spring 2002, showcased project details for MoMAQueens and the Manhattan building.

The Queens museum was heavily promoted. Prior to the opening, hard-

hat tours were organized for the press. The opening was marked by a

huge event, accompanied by press events in Los Angeles, London, and

Berlin. Previously an unfamiliar destination to tourists and New Yorkers

alike, MoMA went to great lengths in promoting Queens as a destina-

tion. Maps were printed and distributed at several locations in the city,

including the MoMA store and the information desk in the Manhatta

location. Maps were also printed in newspapers and magazines, givin

directions and restaurant suggestions. Bus tours were organized to

bring visitors from Manhattan to MoMA Queens and other art institutio

in the borough.

MoMA also made a considerable effort to establish relationships with

local cultural, business, and community groups, as well as libraries an

universities. Educational lectures and meetings were organized to

include residents of all ages.

A limited part of the MoMAs collection was on view in Queens.

Meanwhile, 200 of the best pieces from the painting and sculpture

collection traveled to Houston and Berlin. These exhibitions served as

a platform to increase excitement for MoMAs new building. There

were interviews with the Director in Houston. MoMA also hosted an

event in Berlin. This was significant in building relationships with local

decision makers.

The program reflected a wish to redefine the way in which the public engaged with and saw

the MoMA. They did not want it to be a rupture or something that would seem to break with

the past, but they wanted it to be an affirmation of who they were and what they were.Steven Rustow, Sr. Associate Principal for KPF, the Executive Architect


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Reopening MoMA Manhattan

Influencers and press were engaged through hard-hat

tours. These were group, or in the case of VIPs,

private one-on-one, tours of the construction

guided by the Director or the architects. MoMA

stopped the tours in summer of 2004, before the

November 2004 opening, to preserve an element

of surprise.

To mark the opening, the museum held press events

in New York, London, Los Angeles, Berlin and Tokyo.

The museum never had held press events in other

countries before, but it was significant in reaching the

editor-level local press, who would have commissioned the story,

but would not have traveled to New York themselves to cover the

event. It also gave these key local media members the opportunity to

ask the architects and the Director about the project.

Communications Now

The museums new identity is contemporary, fitting with its new

design. For the first time in its history, MoMAs sign on 53rd street

reads MoMA instead of Museum of Modern Art. This shows a desire

to brand the institution as people know it, making it more approach-

able, as well capitalizing on the international recognition of the

acronym which transcends language barriers. MoMA features the new

architecture in its communication materials, not focusing on the

design elements of the new building, but rather showing visitors inter-

acting with pieces of the collection to highlight their engagement.

MoMA holds events called Pop Rallies every other month. These events

feature musical acts, performances, film screenings, receptions, and

special viewings of exhibitions at moderate prices, targeting young

New Yorkers. Other diversity programs include events for teenagers in

public schools, grandparents day events, and high school student-

curated shows. MoMA is also active in new media, user generated

content, and social network sites. MoMA has a branded channel on

YouTube, called MoMAvideos, which features videos on selected exhibition

previews, public programs, performances, and exhibition installations.

MoMAs new building has inspired user generated content on social

networking sites. On Flickr, a group that encourages people to post

pictures of inside, outside, paintings, sculptures, prints,

objects, people, furniture, forms, lines, stairs, walls,

windows, bathroom sinks has hundreds of membe

and more than 1,000 photos posted.

At the reopening, the new admission price of $

drew a lot of criticism about MoMAs commit-

ment to public access. To prove their commitme

MoMA introduced several reduced admission or

free admission criteria. In addition, MoMA designat

a free period on Fridays. Every Friday, visitors can go

into MoMA for free from 4-8pm as part of an event curren

sponsored by Target.

The Results

MoMA announced the economic impact of the expansion to be $2B

from mid-2004 to mid-2007.14 Paid attendance has increased, as wel

as the number of non-paying visitors. Attendance grew from 1.5M in

2000 to 2.5M in 2006. Of the current attendance of 2.5M a year,

600,000 entered the museum for free, including children and visitors

that came in during the Free Friday evening hours. Within the first ye

after the re-opening, 25% of visitors were from the New York metro

area, 29% from elsewhere in the United States, and 46% frominternational locations.15 Visitors also stay at the museum longer. Pos

re-opening, visitors are spending more than 2.5 hours inside versus

1 to 1.5 hours before the expansion.16 Membership has also increased

The summer before the opening, memberships were at 33,000. The ye

after opening, the membership is on average 100,000.

Flexibility of the design gave way to a unique contemporary work in

February 2007 by Doug Aitken, called Sleepwalkers. New York Times

writer Roberta Smith called the piece videotecture or archivideo. 17

It involved projecting a video about the life of urbanites on to six

facades of the MoMA building. This helped the museum to engage

New Yorkers in a unique and new way; the piece could be enjoyed

from the street and from the top of office buildings around the

museum. Often visited during the day, the MoMa inspired more nigh

time visits by drawing audiences who wanted to see the piece in the

glowing darkness of a New York City night.

The NewMoMA

For the first time in its history,

MoMAs sign on 53rd Street reads

MoMA instead of Museum of

Modern Art. This shows a desire

to brand the institution as

people know it, making it

more approachable.


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Continuing Chicagos history of forward-looking architecture, theModern Wing will sit across from Frank Gehrys Pritzker Pavilion and

will be a testament to the museums dedication to the new and fresh.

The building will be Renzo Pianos largest museum and will draw a lot

of international attention to AIC. Renzo Pianos Modern Wing is

designed to add a contemporary identity to AIC by unifying the mod-

ern and contemporary collections under one roof, and bringing them

under the spotlight. Previously, the modern and contemporary collec-

tions were scattered over three floors in two buildings, which taxed the

visitor. The new building will bring them together and also give space

to photography, architecture and design, film, and video.

The proposed design of the Modern Wing will open a new front doo

to the museum on the adjacent Millennium Park by way of a bridge

designed by Renzo Piano. Millennium Park, which opened in July 200

is widely popular among Chicago citizens and drew two million peop

in the first six months after opening.18 The parks diverse audience wi

be invited to take the bridge onto the roof of the Modern Wing whe

they will be able to enjoy park and Lake Michigan views, and access t

museum restaurant and sculpture terrace. By creating a bridge onto

the popular park, the museum will broaden its audience and create

greater engagement with the citizens of Chicago.

4.REDEFINEDThe Art Institute of Chicago refreshes its image with a new,

green wing

Goals:

Reposition the museum as a contemporary brand in order to gain a broader audience

Create greater public accessibility to the modern and contemporary collections

Challenges:

AIC has long been known as a historicist museum due to the overwhelming popularity of its collection of 19th century French art. Thoug

AIC had strong modern and contemporary collections, the museum had a fusty image and was not thought of as a major destination for

modern and contemporary art, especially compared to younger institutions that focused only on modern and contemporary art

With the contemporary and modern art previously in two buildings, it was not easy for visitors to navigate the collections

The original Beaux-Art style building from 1893 represented the old establishment and was perceived as intimidating, elitist, and closed

After several years of planning and fund-raising, AIC broke ground on the Renzo Piano-design

Modern Wing in 2005. The new 264,000 square foot building due to finish in 2009 will house th

contemporary and modern collections of the AIC, as well as the architecture and photography collection


17/36


The institution is making headlines with the green design of the new

building. AIC is seeking a silver certification for Renzo Pianos environ-

mental design, which will integrate environmental features. The most

memorable feature of the building is the flying carpet sun screen on

the top which will filter and welcome natural light to the 3rd floor

galleries. The Flying Carpet will save electricity consumption, reducing

it by 20% when compared to a building with conventional systems.19

The new, light, and transparent design will be more inviting and less

intimidating to the visitors than the original building. The glass curtain

wall on the northern faade will be a contrast to the closed architec-

ture of the current building. The new building will also offer ways to

enjoy views from the inside, bringing nature and natural light into

the museum.

The new wing will provide more space to reevaluate the way art is

showcased and will allow more room for education, family, and

student programs, further creating opportunities for AIC to diversify

its audience. The new education center will enable a 30% increase in

educational activities and serve more than 1,500 children and students

a day. The education center, which will also include a teacher resource

room and a family center, will be located on the first floor of the new

building, easily accessible by the front door and near a special school

bus drop-off.20


With the opening of the Modern Wing, the museum as a whole willcreate a new identity with a contemporary look and feel and a focus

on AIC as an encyclopedic museum with ten premier collections in

varying areas.

AIC has used the project to engage the museum audience. Starting

May 2006, and for six months, AIC showed an exhibition called Zero

Gravity: The Art Institute, Renzo Piano, and Building for a New Centur

The exhibit presented the AIC buildings development and the archi-

tects process. The current project section of the website mostly targ

potential donors to support it. Communications aims at providing inf

consistently across the wide range of stakeholders at the right times

With the reopening, the communications department will look to

leverage publicity of the new building to attract visitors. About the

LEED certification for the new building, Art Institute of Chicagos Ann

Henry says: We realize that respectful and reasonable green policies

are increasingly important, and we would certainly do our best to

incorporate any green components that we can [in communications]

enhancing and complimenting the many green elements in the actuaarchitecture and function of the Modern Wing."

The Results

In 2004, due to the opening of Millennium Park, AICs attendance

increased by 13% to 1.6M.21 When the Modern Wing opens, the muse

attendance is expected to be at 1.8M annually.22 The expectation is

that, of the 3M Millennium Park visitors a year, if 20% cross the brid

it will bring in 600,000 people. If half of those visitors then attend th

museum, 300,000 people will have come through the doors from

Millennium Park.23

Though the exact projections are not available for press yet, the museuexpects activity on all levels to increase, from membership and attendan

to programming and education. The museum hopes to attract a variet

of new audiences to the museum in the next few years.

The museum has also seen an increase in publicity and positive

response from the City of Chicago since the announcement.

We have been seen as a very traditional, encyclopedic fine arts museum. With the opening

of the Modern Wing, we hope the museum as a whole will draw a larger and a more diverse

audience. Anne Henry, Associate Director of Communications


18/36


I built MoCA to help fuse ideas and broaden the minds of local, regional, and interna-

tional arts enthusiasts. I wanted to showcase the talents of international artists, as well

as Chinese modern design under one roof24 Samuel Kung, Director

5.


19/36


A NEWCOMERA new brand is born in Shanghai


MoCA Shanghais glass faade makes the building reflect light on a

sunny day and allows the activity inside to be on full view when its

dark. In Yuyangs opinion, the design of MoCA Shanghai isn't trying to

create a manifesto for art or architecture, but rather just to tell a sim-

ple story of how an abandoned glass building was transformed into anew public space, a story akin to Cinderella for architectureturning

an average-looking building into the "crown jewel" in the heart

of Shanghai.

Visitors are required to meander through Peoples Park to enter the

building. Mr. Yuyang mentions that the front plaza was redesigned as

an extension of the museum and the result was an integrated space

between museum and the park. From the inside, floor-to-ceiling glass

walls make one feel surrounded by the nature in the park in the middle

of busy Shanghai. The experience inside the museum is intimate

enough so that one can focus solely on the art.

Although the glass walls would let in far too much light for sensitive

artworks or video projections, it was important to keep the museum

design open for the visitor experience. The museum also has 6,000

square feet of enclosed gallery space. The interior design is flexible and

the museum builds temporary walls for each exhibition as necessary.

Furthermore a steel and glass ramp connects two principal exhibition

floors, allowing for a circumscribed and ascending viewing of large-

scale installations in the center of the exhibition space, explains Yuyang.

The museum offers attractive amenities and public spaces to draw in

and engage visitors. The glass pavilion and the roof deck on the third

floor offer panoramic views of the park and Shanghai skyline, while

the rooftop restaurant attracts a hip Shanghai crowd. The museum

uses these spaces for educational lectures and events aimed at

audience development. The building also has a lecture room wherepublic programs are conducted.


MoCA Shanghai does not advertise, relying instead on public relation

for publicity. For wider awareness and engagement, the museum use

its facilities in a number of ways to attract the broader public. The ba

and restaurant in the building attract people who would not necessar

be interested in contemporary art. Another way of building interest i

to focus on education programs for children who will be tomorrows

visitors, donors, and artists. Youth programs are available for univers

students and children programs are affiliated with schools, includingthe school for under-privileged children of migrant workers. The ven

is also used for corporate events that generate press and awareness.

Goals:

Make contemporary art accessible and approachable

on local level

Become the most notable institution for Chinese contemporary

art not only in Shanghai, but also in all of Asia and beyond

Establish itself internationally through partnerships andexchange, as well as locally by increasing Shanghai residents

engagement through increased membership and public

programs

Challenges:

Launching and establishing a new brand in China, where ther

exist powerful state institutions and very few private ones

Attracting the attention of famous Chinese contemporary

artists to a small private start-up museum, despite competitio

from more established museums Attracting a large audience of Shanghai residents to the

museum to ensure long-term health of the institution

MoCA Shanghai opened in 2005 as the citys first independent, non-profit art institution. Endorsed by th

municipal government, the museum is funded by Shanghai-born, Hong Kong-based jade dealer, Samu

Kung, who is also the museums chairman and acting director.25 Located in the Peoples Park, the 19,400 squa

foot building was previously built as a greenhouse and has since been redesigned by architect Liu Yuyang.


20/36


Public programs like film screenings and artist lectures are relatively

well attended for such a young organization. Membership is encouraged

through special events at the bar area. The museum recently organized

jazz evenings for members .

The Results

The government officials of the Huangpu District, who initially had

an alternative use of the greenhouse space in mind, decided to grant

permission to Kung to operate MoCA for 20 years. The museum,

considered young and fresh, fills a void in the contemporary art scene flocal audiences, and international museums and artists looking to partn

with Chinese institutions. With 85% of art sold in China today being

modern or contemporary, the museum occupies an important niche.26

The Guggenheim selected MoCA Shanghai as one of the two venues

China to show its traveling exhibition Art in America: 300 Years of

Innovationfor May June 2007. The show previously was in Beijing

National Art Museum of China from February to April 2007. In refer-

ence to these partnerships, Liu Yuyang says, We think the design mu

have played a role to give the partner institutions a certain level of

confidence. The museum hopes to also form strong ties with major

Chinese contemporary artists in order to create exhibitions that can

exported abroad.

There are currently 500 museum members, a group made up of most

university students. Current daily attendance is about 75-350, depend

on events in the museum. Approximately 300-500 people attend ope

ings. Admission and involvement has been increasing, but Samuel Ku

cautions: We are still young and new to the public, and that there i

a lot of work to be done to have the museum support itself. Admissio

fees, space rentals for corporate events, and the restaurant are bringi

in revenue. But the museum would like to build its audience (membe

ships are key) in order to attract corporate and private donations, aforeign practice in China. The museum is also considering merchandisin

When the building has become a part of the city, how art enters ones life is not limited to

the physical exhibition space. Rather, its how the museum as an institution brings a certain

culture to the city. Architecture has certainly played a crucial role to the success of MoCA

Shanghais position as an institution. What the architecture provided, besides being a shelterfor the art, is the possibility of new events and new culture being created.

- Liu Yuyang, Executive Architect


21/36



The project is part of a bigger effort by the city of Toronto to reposi-

tion the city as a cultural destination, sometimes referred to as the

cultural renaissance of Toronto. Royal Conservatory of Music, Royal

Ontario Museum, The Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet School,

Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, and Ontario College of Art and

Design have all commissioned expansion projects to renowned archi-

tects in an effort to redo the citys entire cultural infrastructure.

The museum wished to preserve its existing footprint, but also to expaexhibition space and reinvigorate the institution with a fresh image.

To do the job, AGO selected Frank Gehry. This will be Frank Gehrys firs

project in Canada, it also happens to be in his native city, down the

street from where he grew up. Gehry said that he took his cues from

the museums surroundings and that he is very interested in making a

building that fits into the neighborhood.28 Frank Gehrys selection is

sure to boost civic pride and help reposition the museum in the hearts

and minds of the Toronto residents. The new design will enable more

Canadian art to be on view, with total exhibition space increasing by 47

6.RENAISSANCEArt Gallery of Ontario is turning Toronto into a new cultural destination

Goals:

Place AGO which has one of the largest collections in North

America on the cultural map Attract cultural tourists to Toronto

Make the museum more relevant and welcoming to the

people of Toronto

Challenges:

Toronto has been historically behind Montreal and Vancouve

as a major tourist destination. After the 2003 SARS outbreaktourism diminished so much so that, in 2006, the number of

tourists lagged below September 11, 2001 levels 27

Despite its popularity in the greater Toronto area, some in th

neighborhood did not find the museum a neighborhood

resource and had the stereotype of it being distant and elitist

Art Gallery of Ontario launched an institutional rebranding campaign in 2002 called Transformati

AGO, promising to bring a new building, new art, new ideas, and a new future to AGO. At the hea

of this campaign lay the redesign and expansion of their current building by Canadian-born architect Fran

Gehry. Construction began in 2005 and AGO will be fully closed to the public for the last year of th

construction, leading up to the new facilities re-opening late Fall 2008.


22/36


"(The strategic plan) is forming the way we think into the future, it's forming the way we

collect in our collecting areas, it's forming the way we will plan our interpretation and

how we engage with the public and how we create a visitor welcome to embrace both

international audiences and our domestic audiences It's beyond the building walls"

- Antonietta Mirabelli, Manager of Communications

Most importantly, the design will make the muse-

um more transparent, therefore less intimidating

and more welcoming. The exterior glass canopy,and the redesigned entrance that aligns with the

Walker Court (the historic heart of the museum),

will bring in more light and make the building feel

more open.

AGO aims to become a multi-purpose destination, and

to diversify its audience in the process. The building will

offer a place to enjoy city views and will house the shop, restaurant,

caf, and a free contemporary art space, all open until late. This new

addition will bring life into the museum after dark, creating greater

opportunities for engagement with a hip young audience in Toronto.

The new AGO will improve the experience of enjoying art inside the

museum. The design will allow more art to be on view and appeal to

different interests: Galleries for Canadian art, contemporary art,

European art, photography, prints, and drawings will be expanded.

The interior is designed so that visitors can circulate with more ease.

Furthermore, the museum is investigating making more of its

operations - art storage displays, conservation, education, and

research areas - visible to visitors.


Transformation AGO and the Art Matters CampaignAGO launched a transition brand called Transformation AGOto

announce changes at the organization and build interest in the opening.

As a part ofTransformation AGO, Art Gallery of Ontario started a cam-

paign calledArt Mattersto talk about the role of art in peoples lives.

The Importance of Online Marketing

Ian Rubenzahl, Manager of New Media Design at AGO, explains: Our

objective is to support, via new media, a more transparent institution

that is relevant to a diverse community of stakeholders. The target

groups range from current and prospective AGO

Members and visitors to volunteers and campaig

supporters. The Web is also used as a majorplatform to keep up communication with AGOs

audience during the yearlong closure.

The AGO microsite dedicated to the expansion pro

ect is dense with information separated into section

on each tenet of the expansion (new art, new building,

new ideas, new future). The site speaks to a wide audience

stakeholders and offers a lot of content, creating a hub for project

related information. It also provides visitors with information about

Frank Gehry, construction updates, webcam and construction photos, a

detailed section on finances, timeline, economic benefits, and an optio

to contribute online.

The new media extensions of the AGO site works to engage the muse-

ums diverse stakeholders. The blog (www.artmatters.ca) exists to speak

to various audiences and learn more about how the collections reverb

ate with them. Visitors can express their views, read others statement

click through theArt Mattersblog, or listen to Art Matterspodcasts. Th

podcast feed has been used to experiment with different kinds of audi

content, from public lectures, panels, and interviews to podcast tours o

exhibitions. The museum is also experimenting with placing the blog o

the gallery floor with a kiosk and URL bookmarks that invite feedback

and participation.

Then there is Collectionx.museum, an attempt to redefine virtual collec

tions and exhibitions. Not only can users create their own exhibitions

from AGOs collections, but they can upload their own collections and

invite others to participate. The site employs RSS and podcasting to

extend participation beyond the website itself.

In addition, AGO has employed social networks such as Flickr to exten

public participation around exhibitions such asIn Your Face: The Peopl

Portrait Project (http://www.flickr.com/groups/artmatters/). This group

has more than 800 members who have posted close to 8,000 photos.

Art Gallery

of OntarioOur objective is to support, vianew media, a more transparent

institution that is relevant to a

diverse community of

stakeholders - Ian Rubenzahl,

Manager of New Media Design


23/36

Engage The Community

Soon after the project launched, AGO realized that, while the museum

received positive response about the project from the greater Torontoarea and tourism audiences, a mechanism for feedback from the imme-

diate community around the museum had not been fully engaged. The

museum quickly formed a community consultation team to build a rela-

tionship with the 10,000 neighbors living around the museum. Beverley

Carret, Manager of Government and Community Relations, explains that

her goal with the community outreach is to: "reinforce that AGO is a

community destination, something that neighbors should consider to be a

place that they would like to drop by, like a library or a community center."

AGOs Frank Gehry exhibition, shown February to May 2006, aimed to

present the AGO project as an important part of the architects career.

After Frank Gehry unveiled the schematic design of the new AGO, themuseum engaged in the consultation process with a working group of

neighbors to help refine the design. Initially, periodic community meetings

attracted up to 100 attendees. Now that the design is under way and

the community is well informed, these meetings are held three times

a year, and attract a few dozen people.

AGO created a neighbors bulletin that is emailed to a list of 300 monthly.

The bulletin includes a brief construction update, as well as a list of upcom-

ing events that include walking tours, art exhibitions of works by area

school children, and neighborhood meetings. The team also set up a hotline

for locals to call with community issues or questions about the project.

The museum installed programs to attract some of the community

groups that were previously underrepresented. Through the community

membership program, tenant representatives were selected for each

housing group and given up to five family memberships to distribute

within their communities. These representatives in turn became an

important bridge, communicating the AGO goals to the tenants and

bringing any of their concerns back to AGO.

AGO also started a pilot program to reach out to the newest Toronto

residents. Each week for 4 months, AGO representatives attended a

new Canadian Citizenship ceremony and offered free one-year familymemberships to new citizens.

As a part of theArt Matterseffort, the public could submit their Art

Mattersstatements in the lobby when the museum was partially closed.

Teams made up of 45 volunteers called AGO is a GO attend local

festivals and engage people in the project and give out Art Matterspins.

Also during the time that AGO will stay closed -until late 2008- the

museum will keep its education program active, offering classes to

adults and children.

Internal Communications

AGO set up an intranet site that is a one-stop source for all project-

related questions. The site is updated daily and is the first thing thestaff sees when they log on every day. Staff can submit questions

anonymously, as well as read the strategic plan, get information on

the pension plan, and catch up on the activities of other department

In addition, there are quarterly staff meetings for project updates.

AGO ran ads in major print media that featured AGO supporters -

donors, docents, volunteers, and artists and their statements on wh

they thought art mattered. There was also Art Mattersthemed signag

outside the museum.

The Results

The community efforts have so far paid off most community membare supporters of the project. Membership increased by 4,000 during

the construction phase due to built-up excitement. Total membership

is now at 54,000. The museum expects the yearly attendance to

increase to 800,000 visits in the first 12 months of operation after th

launch, settling to 650,000 visits annually by 2010/11.

Toronto is being promised major economic benefits as a result of th

project due to increased tourism, new jobs, and attracted investment

The expansion alone is estimated to have pumped $100M into the lo

economy, $96M in local labor income, $54M in tax revenues, 245 new

jobs, and $12.7M in new tourism revenues. The project has solidified

the cultural renaissance in Toronto and garnered many articles

promoting it as a destination. AGO has also inspired an effort in

Montreal to reclaim the cultural status.

Collection-x just launched a couple of months ago and has hundreds

of registered users so far. The artmatters.ca podcasts are downloaded

2,000-4,000 times a month and the blog receives about 30,000 visits

a month.


The renaissance in Toronto with all the new cultural buildings, has raised the awareness of

culture, and its going to help us, it already started to, in broadening our audience.

- Arlene Madell, Director of Marketing and Visitor Services


24/36

7. A CLEAN SLATEMiami Art Museum spearheads change in downtown Miami


Goals:

Reinvent current identity to become the central art institution

in Miami, one that is notable nationally and internationally

Get visitors to associate MAM with centrality bothphysically at the heart of the city and artistically at the

epicenter of art in Miami

Challenges:

MAMs collection is relatively small and needs to be expande

before the new museum opens

Downtown Miami is not a cultural destination

In 2001, with the support of the citizens of Miami, Miami Art Museum (MAM) embarked on a new buildinproject that will be a part of Museum Park a 29-acre area on Biscayne Bay that will include MAM an

Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium. $100M of the $220M project cost is being paid by the coun

bond that was issued for the project. In September 2006, the museum announced its selection of Sw

architects Herzog & de Meuron to design the 120,000 square foot new building, due to open in 2012.

We have got to pull our strengths together to create a destination and a brand that conveys

the substance of a destination to our audience

- Richard Townsend, Deputy Director for External Affairs


25/36


What Miami really needs is a museum that can do more in one place and be more of

a home for the city.

- Terence Riley, Director


Prior to the expansion, Miami Art Museum occupied about 24,000

square feet of space. The new facility will increase its size five times, to

about 125,000 square feet - a size more suitable for the kind of focal

civic art establishment that MAM wants to become. The larger museum

will enable the curators to tell the history of modern and contemporary

art in a more complete way. It will also house temporary exhibitions,

an education complex with a library, an auditorium, classrooms, and

workshops. In addition, the museum will feature amenities, like restaurants

and cafes, to turn it into a destination and an engine for social and

economic change in downtown Miami.

The museums other main goal is to gather under one roof the disparate

strands of artistic endeavor in Miami including art produced by local

artists, art collected by local collectors, and the local art market. MAM

wants a larger footprint to provide a more centralized artistic experience

in Miami, accommodate the large amounts of visitors coming to

Miami for art, and serve Miami as it becomes a more populous and

cosmopolitan city.

The most ambitious task for the new Miami Art Museum is to build a

cohesive collection almost from scratch, attracting donations from pri-

vate collections to the public domain. The museum hopes that the new

building will convince private collectors to donate, presenting a uniqueopportunity to build the architecture and the collection together.


Miami Art Museum communications will be tasked with creating the

kind of art institution that does not currently exist in Miami. A new

identity will signify the difference between this institution and others,

one that is strong, contemporary, fresh, and international to better

communicate the expanded scope to different constituents Miami

citizens, the art scene, and cultural visitors. Centrality will be a main

point to get across and will help turn the building into a destination.

The redesign will be rolled out in stages. The communication depart-ment decided that it is too soon to launch the new identity, as the

institution is currently in the process of becoming while building its

collection. With four years until the final product, the museum will

start the rebranding process with a capital campaign and a transitional

identity. They will then adapt the transitional identity to finally arrive

at the new identity when the museum opens in 2012.

MAM is bringing the Miami community into this exciting process.

There was a meeting in October of 2007 to present conceptual

drawings and solicit public support and feedback. Architectural plans

for the building were unveiled at a show prior to Art Basel 2007, whi

showed the evolution and development of the design, while involvin

the community.

The Results

Richard Townsend, Deputy Director for External Affairs at the Miami

Art Museum said that the museum offers powerful potential to

become an engine for social and economic change for the city. The

expected economic impact of Museum Park is $2B, with 1,700 jobs creat

annually.29 The opening of MAM, together with Miami Science Museu

and Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, is expected to cement

downtown Miami as a cultural hub - a major goal for the downtown

revitalization. The expected attendance following the opening is betwe

200,000 and 250,000 a year.

The community consultation process has begun as well. Though ther

were some doubts raised in the Miami art community about the poss

bility of MAM filling its future size, the city approved a grant to buy

the land for the new museum space, and plans are moving forward.

An earlier bond oversight board meeting can be seen on YouTube.

In December 2006, MAM announced a new partnership with Miami

Art Central (MAC) - a local private art collection specializing in Latin

American contemporary art owned by Ella Fontanals-Cisneros. The

partnership enables MAM to present at the museum more cutting ed

contemporary art programs and has led to MAC being folded into MA

In addition, by the spring of 2007, Miami Art Museum added almost 20

works into its collection valued at $10M. These included a monumen

sculpture by Leger, a 100-piece contemporary photography collection

the first edition of six video works by Doug Aitken called Sleepwalke

which is being tailored to go on the new buildings walls. In late 200

there were some other significant donations from private collectorsincluding Jeffrey Loria, Dennis Scholl, Mimi Floback, and Craig Robbin

MAM also received a gift of $500,000 for education programs aimed

underserved teenagers. The programs will use the building to inspire

others and create a community.


26/36


Much like how the Walkers multi-disciplinary

mission challenges traditional art institutions, thenew building challenges the traditional white box

gallery concept with the off-balanced setting of

its tower and asymmetrical windows on the

facade. The new Walker is uniquely designed to

present diverse forms of contemporary art simul-

taneously (eleven galleries, a new 385-seat the-

ater, and a refurbished cinema). It encourages

artistic experimentation, dialogue, and social interaction in lounges

throughout the building where visitors can rest and talk about their

experience.

One of the goals of the expansion was to respect the original 1971building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, while improving on the

visitor experience. Herzog & de Meurons new building highlights the

Barnes building by removing late additions and focusing on the verti-

cality of the original building by mirroring it in the new aluminum

tower. Before the expansion, the main entry was a small entrance

tucked away on a side street, giving a reclusive or almost elitist air

to the institution. The two structures also now linked by a series of

galleries on the ground floor.

A new entrance was oriented to the broad and

busy Hannepin Avenue in a way to almost

celebrate traffic.30

The buildings glass curtain wall and large win-

dows reveal the vitality inside to those that driv

by. Inside, the windows reveal the dynamism of

the city, offering views of the garden and down

town Minneapolis. There are two lobby and

lounge areas where one can look through the

entire building to see the park and city views.

The idea is to use the building to engage and encourage arts-related

or social dialogue. Phillip Bahar, Director of Marketing and Public

Relations at the Walker, explains that a major goal for the Walker is tbe civically engaged and serve almost as a town square, to become

meeting place where people might bump into other people, arts o

ideas. Herzog & de Meurons new space achieves this goal with the

creation of spaces where groups of varying sizes can interact. Group

can stroll through the galleries together and individuals can enjoy ar

in quiet, contemplative corners.31 There are lounges and interactive

areas throughout the building, placed between galleries, where peop

can pause, reflect, discuss, and learn together.


8.CONVERGENCEWalker Art Center creates a bridge to the community with a new addition

Goals:

Communicate the multi-disciplinary nature of the Walker as

more than a museum, as a dynamic and welcoming center for

people with different arts interests

Reinforce the Walkers commitment to artistic creation

and dialogue

Diversify the audience and engage new groups

Challenges:

On a national level, staying top-of-mind and differentiating

itself from other contemporary art institutions

The Walkers multidisciplinary missionvisual arts, performin

arts, and film/videowas not well understood within its broad

community

Walker Art Center, which is known as one of the most cutting-edge contemporary art museums in t

US, opened an addition designed by Herzog & de Meuron in April 2005. This was the Swiss architec

first museum building in the US, coming right after their successful design of Londons Tate Modern.


27/36


The building also has a number of amenities to bring people in for

social gatherings: two new restaurants operated by Wolfgang Puck,

coffee and wine service in the garden lobby, a new shop, an event

space called the Skyline Room which can accommodate up to 400

people - and new terraces. The building also enhanced the museums

public programming and learning spaces.

The new design added space for the Walkers diverse program areas:

11,000 square feet of additional gallery space (33%), a 385-seat theater,

a remodeled cinema, audio and video bays, and an information lounge.

Communicating the New BrandThe Walker embarked on a strategic PR and marketing plan in stages

leading up to the introduction of the new institution, addressing the

communication goals of presenting the new institution as a welcom-

ing, multi-faceted and happening contemporary art center.

Walker without Walls 2004

When Walker Art Center closed for the construction of the new build-

ing for one and a half years, the museum launched a campaign called

Walker without Wallsto stay culturally visible and increase excitement

for the upcoming re-opening. Walker without Wallsprimarily targeted

people who already engaged with the Walker, but it also aimed to

develop new community relationships. The campaign was kicked off byan all night party at the Walker in February 2004, the night before the

museum closed for construction.

The campaign was a coordinated yearlong series of art events held in

various venues throughout the region. The events were well attended

more than 25,000 attended the artist-designed mini-golf tournament,

and 3,000 attended the opening night of the Music & Movies series in

Loring Park.

A uniformWalker without Wallsidentity played on the subway map

theme to represent the different stops to the reopening, while also

representing the multi-disciplinary nature of Walker Art Center. The

identity was superimposed on pre-existing Walker communications

(calendar, letterhead, web site, and tourist postcards), the physical

environment (sidewalks and walls), and on advertising copy. Signage

around town (train stops, billboards, sidewalk stencils, mobile signage

and walls), as well as print and online, encouraged participation in

the events. An ice cream truck distributed frozen treats along with

information on the Walker without Wallsprograms.

Internal Communications

Walker Art Center had periodic staff meetings where the managemen

provided as much information as possible to the staff in order to

encourage word-of-mouth. The museum helped with the elevator

speech and answers to potential questions for when friends and

family asked staff members about the construction and changes tha

would follow.

Walker Launch Campaign: Where (blank) Meets (blank), 2005

For the reopening, the Walker ran an integrated marketing campaign

that announced the new building and with that the redefined institu

tional identity emphasizing on the institution's multidisciplinary

nature. "Where __ meets __" essentially became the template forintroducing the key messages like artistic depth (where Yoko meets

John), multiple disciplines in contemporary art represented inside the

Walker (where paint meets pixels), the town hall concept for social

interaction (where art meets life) and the physical locale (where

Hannepin meets Lyndale)."

"The campaign was predominantly regional with some national presen

and appeared in a range of media executions including magazine ads

billboards, bus shelters, and wildpostings.


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Walker Expanded The New Graphic Identity, 2005

For the opening, Walker designed a new identity to signal the changes

at the institution. Treated like a roll of tape, the new identity visually

conveys different touchpoints (Walker Art Center, walkerart.org,

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden) disciplines (performing arts, film/ video,

visual arts) and artistic programs offered (exhibitions, lectures, screenings,

tours, workshops, theater, music, film) at the Walker, in an on-going

scroll. It is visually catchy and easily adoptable to different disciplines.

The strip visual is applied on all printed and electronic communications,

as well in and around the building. Business cards, letterhead and visitor

guides feature the scroll on top. A projection listing the upcoming

events scrolls on the faade of the building. The scroll is also displayed

inside on the walls of the lobby, the parking ramp and the shop.

Ongoing Communications

Walker uses "group ads" on an ongoing basis to promote a full-range

of Walker offerings. Exhibitions, performances, films, and lectures are

all announced in single advertisements. As a result Walker not only

highlights its multidisciplinary mission, but also stretches its budget

on advertising.

Since 1997, Walker Art Center has organized parties called Walker After

Hoursthat target young, trendy professionals in the Minneapolis area.

The events feature a first look at exhibitions, music, and cocktails.

Attendees can visit a section of the party sponsored by Target andtake photographs that are posted on the Flickr Walker After Hours

photo group.

Walker Art Center provides wi-fi access in the lobby, and Art on Call,

the Walkers free cell phone audio tour.32 Also at Walker, visitors can

use the social interaction technology called Dialogueto learn about

the collection in a way that sparks curiosity and encourages exploring.

Walker Art Center already offers rich artistic content on the Web.

Especially successful is their blog section. The Walker blogs constitute

the most popular part of the site with a monthly average of 115,000

user sessions. The Walker blogs readership is mostly concentrated

locally, but also extends nationally and internationally, especiallyto Europe.

Leveraging Web 2.0

New media tactics help the museum reach new audiences. Walker Art

Center New Media Initiatives group looks into innovative ways of

connecting with audiences through podcasts, videocasts, IPTV, RSS

feeds, Flickr, YouTube, and social networks like Facebook and MySpace.

The group, in partnership with the McKnight Foundation, developed

mnartists.org, an online gathering place for Minnesota artists and art

organizations from diverse disciplines. The site provides a platform for

artists to present themselves, for the public to get to know them

and interact with them, as well as a schedule for Minnesota-based

arts events.

In order to engage teenagers and help them connect with contempo

rary art and artists, Walker Art Center set up Walker Art Center Teen

Arts Council. WACTAC is made up of 12 young people who meet wee

to design, organize, and market events and programs for other

teenagers and young adults. The Walker just launched a dedicated

WACTAC site to engage the teens online.

Social networks such as MySpace and Facebook help reach a younge

online audience, as well as those interested in getting a behind the

scenes look at the Walker and staff viewpoints on various topics.

Walker Art Center has 3,909 friends on MySpace. Its MySpace page

includes information on the museum, an events calendar, and an

option to buy tickets. There are also links to the Walker blog. The blog

entries are written in a short and approachable way to better connec

with the audience, and not in the traditional institutional language.

The postings focus on topics that would be of interest to the younge

audience, such as bands on the run and the after hours parties. Walk

also recently started a profile on Facebook.

There are several Walker Art Center-affiliated groups on the photo

sharing site Flickr. There is an extensive folder of pictures of the new

building, but also Walker After Hoursphotos, and photos from Walke

Art Center Teen Arts Council events and happenings.

The Results

The selection of the intriguing architectural duo, Herzog & de Meuro

and the fact that the Walker was their first museum project in the U

ensured that the reopening received national and international press

coverage, even though it was soon after the broadly covered reopeni

of MoMA in New York. Though not the main goal for the expansion,

the placement of Minneapolis back on the cultural tourism map was

welcome result. In the January 2006 issue, Travel & Leisure named

Minneapolis one of the five up-and-coming destinations. 33

The Walker Art Center expansion did not attract the kind of criticism

expanding museums sometimes face. Largely due to the architecture

and the museums mission being so integrated, there have been no

suggestions of growing corporate influence or aiming to attract

crowds at the expense of a cutting-edge artistic point of view.

Walker considers the campaign a big success in increasing awareness

of the museum and its programs. It has helped to maintain and

increase event audiences throughout the year.34


The purpose of the Walkers expansion was to provide each of its primary program areas

visual arts, performing arts, film, and educationwith its own space under the larger

institutional umbrella. Making the institutions programmatic priorities physically visible and

encouraging the cross-pollination of the Walkers various audiences was one of its major

goals. - Philip Bahar, Director of Marketing and Public Relations


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How to maximize theimpact of an expansion

and extend the image ofa museum through

communication

Evolvingthe Footprint

ThroughCommunications


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Whether its the entire museum

being rebuilt or the addition of a

new wing, the museums surveyed

have adopted or plan to adopt new

identities to fit their vision and image.

When the Modern Wing opens, AIC will

launch an identity that will reflect the contemporary feeling of the

building for the entire institution. Similarly, MoMA updated its identity

when the Taniguchi building reopened. Miami Art Museum foresees

that the new identity will fit the new Herzog & De Meuron building

with its fresh, clean, contemporary, and international look. Walker Art

Center adopted a new identity at the reopening that was both visually

catchy and adoptable to different disciplines.

The degree to which the building is prominent in the new graphic

identity ties back to the institutions mission and brand goals. The

buildings sculptural quality determines its place in the logo.Milwaukee Art Museum, wishing that the Calatrava building would

become an international tourist destination, featured the building in

the logo that launched at the reopening in 2001. The Guggenheim

Museums identity also ties back to the architecture, as the foundation

considers architecture a major brand asset.

AGO conducted a kitchen table-style brand study among key constituents

and determined 13 brand value attributes, one of which was All of the

brand attributes were later boiled down to three major brand tenets

that formed the new identity for the 2008 reopening: extraordinary

visitor experience, excellence in collections, and leaders in interpretation.

Communications departments can measure the PR potential of the

selected architect to measure the impact on attendance locally, nationally,

or internationally. This can be done by conducting surveys on the recall

of the architect among the

The Role of Architecture in Defining the Museum’s Image

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