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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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 3
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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 4
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
THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 6
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 MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 7
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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 8
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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Redefining The Brand with Architecture
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."
Communicating the New Brand
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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 10
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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 11
Redefining The Brand with Architecture
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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 12
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
Communicating the New Brand
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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 13
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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Redefining The Brand with Architecture
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
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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
Communicating the New Brand
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
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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.
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A NEWCOMERA new brand is born in Shanghai
Redefining The Brand with Architecture
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.
Communicating the New Brand
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.
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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
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Redefining The Brand with Architecture
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.
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"(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.
Communicating the New Brand
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
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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 MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 21
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
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7. A CLEAN SLATEMiami Art Museum spearheads change in downtown Miami
THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 22
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
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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
Redefining The Brand with Architecture
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.
Communicating the New Brand
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.
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Redefining The Brand with Architecture
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.
THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 24
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.
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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 25
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 MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 26
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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THE MUSEUM BRAND FOOTPRINT PAGE 28
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
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