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Making the Museum

Author: Jonathan Alger

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A podcast on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams, and visitor experience professionals.
32 Episodes
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What is a “growth mindset” — and why is it more important than ever for our industry?What happens when we combine museology with the fast-growing field of positive psychology? How do exhibition teams get through projects with tough subject matter? Why should we always “put our own oxygen mask on first”? What’s the opposite of love (hint: not hate)? What’s contemplative science? How can we learn from the latest news about the Rubin Museum? Do we sometimes all take ourselves … too seriously?Dr. Kiersten F. Latham (President & CEO, Sauder Village) and Professor Brenda Cowan (Graduate Exhibition & Experience Design, SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology), join host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss the new book they’ve edited: “Flourishing in Museums”.Along the way: yogic theory, growing towards the sun, and even a few museum dad jokes.Talking Points:1. Flourishing starts with intention, and means living and working with an abundance perspective.2. Healthy museums have a growth mindset internally and externally: with staff, visitors, communities, and the profession.3. Museum people must do self-care, and also offer care and support to staff, colleagues, communities, and the system itself.4. To flourish we must go bold with change: address what’s uncomfortable, deconstruct dysfunctional systems, and even redefine what a museum is.5. Flourishing takes many forms for the book’s authors, who address war, sexual abuse, discrimination, and regret — as well as fun, playfulness and magic.6. Positive museology is a fluid and developing project that aims to change how museums function and the way they are seen in society.How to Listen:Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-the-museum/id1674901311 Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/6oP4QJR7yxv7Rs7VqIpI1G Everywherehttps://makingthemuseum.transistor.fm/ Guest Bios:Dr. Kiersten F. Latham is President & CEO of Sauder Village, a living history museum complex in Ohio, USA. She has worked in museums for over 35 years. Prior to the Village, her professional journey spanned many kinds of museums and positions within them. She has led museum studies programs at Michigan State University and Kent State University, founded the experimental MuseLab, and has taught all aspects of museum studies. Dr. Latham has conducted research on the meaning of museum objects, conceptual foundations of museums as document systems, numinous experiences in museums, user perceptions of ‘the real thing,’ and positive museology.Brenda Cowan is a Professor of Graduate Exhibition & Experience Design at SUNY/Fashion Institute of Technology in New York where she teaches exhibition development and evaluation; object and museum studies; research and audience studies. Her background includes work for museums and design firms in the roles of interpreter, exhibition developer, education director, evaluator, and project manager. She is the co-editor of the recently published Flourishing in Museums: Towards a Positive Museology, as well as Museum Objects, Health and Healing both published by Routledge Taylor & Francis. Brenda is a Fulbright Scholar in the disciplines of museums, objects and mental health. Relatedly, her theory of Psychotherapeutic Object Dynamics (www.psychoherapeuticobjectdynamics.com) has been presented at conferences and institutes internationally and published with the National Association for Museum Exhibition and the Society for Experiential Graphic Design. She is currently co-host of a podcast titled Matters of Experience.About MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com Show Links:Book Publisher: https://routledge.pub/Flourishing-in-Museums Book Email: flourishingmuseums@yahoo.com Book Website (in progress): www.flourishingmuseums.com  Kiersten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-f-latham-298a35189/ Brenda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-cowan-01bb94140/ Brenda’s FIT Graduate Exhibition & Experience Design Program on Instagram: @fitgradexd  MtM Show Contact:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contact https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalger alger@cgpartnersllc.com https://www.cgpartnersllc.com Newsletter:Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here: https://www.makingthemuseum.com 
Can an eye-catching museum revitalize a city? The answer might surprise you. Getting the right designer is vital. If you don’t like a painting you can put it away, but if you don’t like a building, you can’t take it down. Why is it important to have the goals of a complex museum project fit in a mantra of a few words? What comes first in museum architecture, practicality or creative genius? Should you choose your designers by design competition? If not, what’s the alternative? What are the three things a designer needs to do, to win a major project? Andy Klemmer (Founder, Paratus Group) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to reveal “The Real Bilbao Effect”. Along the way: why every architect has a bad building, how $300 per square foot can beat $3,000 per square foot, and why you should always take people to ball games. Talking Points: 1. Words matter2. Helping an owner be a conductor3. Every architect has one bad building4. Good Bilbao Effect vs. Bad Bilbao Effect5. Architecture is practicality first, fun second6. Why you shouldn’t hold a design competition7. Nature, community, service, faith (& other mantras) How to Listen:Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-the-museum/id1674901311 Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/6oP4QJR7yxv7Rs7VqIpI1G Everywherehttps://makingthemuseum.transistor.fm/ Guest Bio:Andrew Klemmer established Paratus Group in 1997 to offer specialized consulting for cultural projects involving complex programs, exceptional design, intricate construction, and highly creative global teams. With over thirty years of experience, Andrew assumes a pivotal leadership role in every Paratus project. The genesis of Paratus stems from Andrew's oversight of the expansion of the landmarked Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in 1991 and subsequent involvement in directing the planning and programming of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain. Paratus uniquely leads in programming, planning, budgeting, design, and construction oversight for cultural institutions, adhering to core principles from project inception to completion. Noteworthy projects include collaborations with renowned architects like Renzo Piano, SANAA, Jean Paul Viguier, and Herzog de Meuron. Andrew is active in the architecture community, contributing as a guest critic, speaker, and advisory panelist. He holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and environmental studies from Bowdoin College.About MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com Show Link: Paratus Group: https://www.paratusgroup.com/ MtM Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com  Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
How can we raise the voices of people of color in museums and exhibitions — and what stands in the way?What is Museum Hue? What constitutes a sustainable museum job, a sustainable career? What percentage of staff at museums are folks of color, and what roles do they have? What do we see happening in the exhibitions that museums create?  Many cultural organizations began their DEI initiatives after the tragic events of 2020; how are those programs doing now? Could exhibitions be one of the best places to make visible change happen?Sierra Van Ryck DeGroot (Deputy Director, Museum Hue) and Jinelle Thompson (Research and Partnerships Manager, Museum Hue) join host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “Raising the Voices of People of Color in Museums and Exhibitions”.Along the way: the power of networking, Front of House vs. Back of House, and the Museum salary transparency spreadsheet.Talking Points:1. What Museum Hue does, and how it all started.2. The challenge of raising the voices of people of color in the museum and exhibitions field.3. The real numbers: percentages of museum staff who are people of color.4. How we can bring students into sustainable careers in the arts (and what “sustainable” means here). 5. Ways to help raise the voices of people of color: Exposure, Mentorship, Support, and Networking.6. How listeners can get involved: Museum Hue is looking for Speakers, Collaborators, Sponsors, and Partners.How to Listen:Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-the-museum/id1674901311 Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/6oP4QJR7yxv7Rs7VqIpI1G Everywherehttps://makingthemuseum.transistor.fm/ Guest Bios:  Sierra Van Ryck deGroot is the Deputy Director of Museum Hue. A proud alumna of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Program at Seton Hall University and Bank Street College of Education. Sierra has her BA in Art, Design and Interactive Media; Fine Arts; and Art History and M.S.Ed in Museum Education. A child of Guyanese immigrants. She is proudly born and raised in Central Jersey (NJ) which does exist and it is pork roll, not Taylor Ham. She is also half of the former Sierras co-presidential leadership team of the National Emerging Museum Professionals Network, a current board member for the New Jersey Association of Museums and participating in many side quests related to advocating for change in the GLAM sector, especially in museums, around salary transparency, actionable equity, in higher in practices, the abolition of unpaid internships, and the practice of rest for all museum workers.Jinelle Thompson is the Research & Partnerships Manager at Museum Hue. She is an arts administrator and cultural strategist working with cultural institutions to establish equitable partnerships and programming with communities across NYC. Through qualitative research, collaborative visioning, and anti-oppressive facilitation, Jinelle develops engagement strategies for the inclusion and empowerment of communities of color. She has organized workshop and public programs with artists, organizers, and activists concerning civic engagement, immigration, voting rights, and mass incarceration. In addition to her work with museums and arts organizations, Jinelle has worked with libraries, social impact organizations, and elected officials in state and municipal government providing operations and administrative support through project and client management, strategic communications, and event administration. Jinelle holds a Bachelor’s with honors in Sociology & Political Science with a concentration in Public Law and a Masters in Museum Studies.About MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com Show Links:Museum Hue: https://www.museumhue.org/ Museum Hue on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/museum-hue/ Museum Hue on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museumhue/ Museum Hue on Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/museumhue Sierra’s Email: sierra@museumhue.com Sierra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierravrd/ Sierra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sierragoesthere/ Sierra on Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/sierra_vrd Jinelle’s Email: jinelle@museumhue.com Jinelle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jinellethompson/ MtM Show Contact:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contact https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalger alger@cgpartnersllc.com https://www.cgpartnersllc.com Newsletter:Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here: https://www.makingthemuseum.com 
What do technologies like the Apple Vision Pro mean for exhibitions and experiences? For people who create cultural destinations, the pace of technology has now become so fast it’s hard to keep up. AR, VR, AI. What’s happening in the “near future” of the technologies that will define our field for years to come? What is spatial computing? Are projection mapping and Pepper’s Ghosts early forms of augmented reality? Is the extreme personalization of all digital content causing problems we don’t even understand yet? Are museums a potential antidote? Neil Redding (Near Futurist and SXSW Speaker) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “The Near Future of Experience Design”. Along the way: self-driving cars, the third era of computing, and getting fidgety about phygital. Talking Points: 1. What is “Near Futurism”?2. Applying Near Futurism to Experience Design3. Are Physical and Digital Converging?4. What is “Spatial Computing”?5. The Near Future of Augmented Reality (AR)6. The Near Future of Virtual Reality (VR) Guest Bio:  Neil Redding is a keynote speaker, author, Innovation Architect and Near Futurist. Neil has worked at the convergence of digital and physical for decades, and is an expert in spatial computing, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), AI and convergent brand ecosystems. As a Near Futurist, Neil focuses on connecting what's possible with what's practical. Neil currently leads Redding Futures, a boutique consultancy that enables brands and businesses to powerfully engage the Near Future. Prior to founding Redding Futures, Neil held leadership roles at Mediacom, Proximity/BBDO, Gensler, ThoughtWorks and Lab49. He has delivered for clients including Visa, Nike, Cadillac, Macy’s, NBA, Verizon, TED, The Economist, MoMA, Converse, Morgan Stanley, Apple, Oracle, Financial Times, and Fidelity Investments. He has spoken at numerous conferences including SXSW, AWE, Immerse Global Summit, infoComm, Tech2025, CreateTech, SEGD XLab, A.R.E. Shoptalk, Creative Technology Week, Design+AI and VRevolution. Neil is also editor of Near Future of Retail, author of the forthcoming book The Ecosystem Paradigm, and advises multiple startups at the leading edge of the digital-physical convergence.Show Links: Neil’s Email: connect@neilredding.comNeil at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reddingneil/Neil’s Website: https://www.neilredding.com  Newsletter:Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
Great projects happen because of great teams. But how do you build that team in the first place?Who should a museum hire first, to start a major project? How do you decide whether internal staff should run a big project, or if you need help from outside? Should you hire an architect before you hire an exhibition designer, or vice versa? Who else do you need, and when? Where can a museum find firms they might like to work with? What’s an “owner’s rep” anyway?Beth Van Why (Senior Project Manager, Becker & Frondorf) returns to the show, joining host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “Assembling a Collaborative Project Team”.Along the way: what “AV integrator” means, choosing your own adventure, and how to build a museum on top of Pike’s Peak. Talking Points: 1. What is a project team?2. Every project has unique restrictions and opportunities.3. What museums can do internally vs. when they need help.4. Timeline for adding staff, partners, and consultants.5. Owners reps, museum planners, architects, exhibition designers — who else?6. The role of RFQs and RFPs in team building. Guest Bio:  Beth Van Why has spent most of her career managing construction and development projects for non-profit and cultural institutions. She offers an extensive background in architecture, exhibit design, collections care, construction, and owner-run program management. Beth is very familiar with the various funding sources available to non-profits and the parameters that come with them. From master planning to design and budget consultation, Beth brings a comprehensive view of the role needed in making a building project successful. A strong advocate for the importance of education, Beth also serves as an associate professor in museum design at University of the Arts. Show Links: bvanwhy@beckerfrondorf.com https://www.beckerfrondorf.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethvanwhy/  Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
How can we make digital experiences work for all visitors — whether kids or grandparents? Hint: it has to do with recognizing “diverse digital literacies.” When should you bring in a creative technologist? Why should you aim for the strong verbs? What is “sneaky attract mode”? How do you do paper prototyping? Are a lot of digital experiences in museums essentially “sexy browsing”? Are touch tables a trend that will never die?Patrick Snee (Creative Technologist) joins Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to reveal “5 Secrets of Digital Experience Design”. Along the way: tessellation, thinking in three dimensions, and a return to agar art!Talking Points: 1. Think in 3 Dimensions 2. Assume Diverse Digital Literacies 3. Identify the (Strong) Verb 4. Distill the Personality 5. Prototype Early and Often Guest Bio:  For more than two decades, Patrick Snee has designed and engineered immersive, interactive exhibitions for leading museums and brand environments. As a creative technologist, he uses a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to craft effective, engaging digital experiences. A former agency founder and principal, Patrick now consults on complex media projects in roles ranging from concept strategy to interaction design to application development. His recent projects include immersive experiences for Kennedy Space Center and Nokia Bell Labs, interactive exhibits for Liberty Science Center, The Henry Ford, and the National Archives, and digital strategy for the New Britain Museum of American Art.Show Links: https://patricksnee.com/ps@patricksnee.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-snee/https://www.instagram.com/mnemonic.studio/ About Micro-interactions:https://uxdesign.cc/micro-interactions-why-when-and-how-to-use-them-to-boost-the-ux-17094b3baaa0 Prototyping Digital Exhibits:http://www.mnemonic.studio/memo/prototyping-digital-exhibits-part-1/ The Magic of Paper Prototyping:https://uxplanet.org/the-magic-of-paper-prototyping-51693eac6bc3 Prime Access Consulting:https://www.pac.bz/ Shivers Down Your Spine:https://cup.columbia.edu/book/shivers-down-your-spine/9780231129893  Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here: https://www.makingthemuseum.comAbout MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com
What’s the very first question we should ask — before we start our projects? Should we start designing … by designing? How do we make sure we understand our audience, before we start making experiences for them? Why is prototyping so important? How many of our ideas should we expect to survive the creative process? And what does microbiology art have to do with your sense of balance? (Hint: they’re both topics at a certain well-known venue.) Liza Rawson (Head of Exhibitions, Liberty Science Center) joins Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss why we should “Start With ‘Who’s It For?’” Along the way: Rubik’s Cubes, how to start a museum career at age 14, and Beverly Serrell’s “big idea”. Talking Points: Don’t start designing by designing. Ask questions instead.Start with: who’s it for?What do we want to hear them saying?What do we want to see them doing?What do we want them to feel?What is the “wrap”?What is the “point of engagement”?What do you want them to say when you ask what the goal was?Guest Bio: Liza Reich Rawson is Head of Exhibitions for Liberty Science Center, a 300,000-square-foot learning center in Jersey City, NJ. She provides leadership and creative vision for exhibition development and design and special projects; manages the traveling exhibition program and oversees the exhibition maintenance and animal husbandry teams. Previously she led award-winning exhibition projects for Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the Brooklyn Historical Society and was adjunct faculty for Johns Hopkins University and Bank Street College museum studies graduate programs. From 2010 to 2020 Liza was the managing editor of the National Association for Museum Exhibition’s premier professional journal Exhibition. Her publications include: “It’s About Them: Using Developmental Frameworks to Create Exhibitions for Children (and Their Grown-Ups)” in Connecting Kids to History with Museum Exhibitions (2009). She holds a BA in Historic Preservation from Goucher College, and an MA in History Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program. Show Links: lrawson@lsc.orgLiza on LinkedInLiberty Science Center Projects of Note:Microbes Rule!Wobbly WorldThe BuildingThe Great Train SetDino Dig AdventureSciTechCity  Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
Cultural projects should be data-driven — but which *kind* of data?What’s the difference between the “big data” we all know — and “thick data”? Which is more important? (Hint: trick question.) What does cell phone data have to do with sculpture gardens? What’s a “two-hour ring”? What if we just recorded visitors narrating their entire experience — out loud?Elena Kazlas (Founder, Elevativ) and Adaheid Mestad (Design Anthropologist, HGA) join Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “Museum Research: Big Data Meets Thick Data”.Along the way: drawing polygons, the odd truth of Connecticut art museums, and the “streakers, strollers, scholars” model.  Talking Points: 1. Big Data = Quantitative. Thick Data = Qualitative.2. Big Data on museum visitors includes demographics, origin/where they are coming from, how long they spend on site, leisure patterns and spending patterns in near real-time. 3. Big Data analytics inform business and marketing strategies to support the mission. 4. But Big Data (numbers) alone can’t capture the emotions of visitors’ daily lives. 5. Thick Data reveals the social, emotional, and cultural context of individuals and their social identity in the place they are in6. Thick Data is real-time, whole-person context, and can be scaled.7. Thick Data anchors strategic, programming, and operational decisions on insights derived directly from the perspectives of visitors, members, and community.8. When Big Data meets Thick Data, we support strategic, efficient, and impactful mission decisions.Guest Bios:Elena Kazlas is the Founder & Creator of Elevativ, LLC. Elena has over 25 years’ of international experience in the successful development of non-profit and for-profit projects.She has extensive experience in working with clients as part of iterative planning processes to yield optimal development strategies for socially impactful projects, such as museums, with a special expertise in understanding their market and economic potential. Elena leads Elevativ with a left-brain/right-brain approach to project planning, balancing both quantitative and qualitative elements as they relate to a project’s potential success. Elena is a thought leader and expert in future planning for cultural projects.Adaheid Mestad, M.A., is a Design Anthropologist currently working at HGA. Ada has over 15 years of experience utilizing social science approaches to translate human experience and sociocultural practices within the built environment. Ada’s philosophy is to engage and design with people, as the experts, to understand social constructs, values, and perspectives throughout a transparent and iterative process. Her ethnographic research informs and evaluates design that strengthens identity, representation, relationships, and sociocultural systems. Ada has worked with innovators, nationally and internationally, to transform experiences and social impact within Healthcare, Workplace strategy, Higher Education, Urban Planning, Government, and Cultural Institutions.About MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links:Elena’s Email: elena@elevativ.co Elena’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-kazlas/ Elena’s Website: https://elevativ.co/ Placer.ai: https://www.placer.ai/ (mention Elena Kazlas from Elevativ)Ada’s Email: AMestad@hga.com Ada’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adaheidmestad/ Ada’s Website: https://hga.com/people/adaheid-mestad/ The American Anthropological Association: https://americananthro.org/ EPIC (Ethnography Association): https://www.epicpeople.org/ Thick Data: The term has been popularized by the anthropologist Tricia Wang and built on American Anthropologist Clifford Geertz’s “thick description”: https://medium.com/ethnography-matters/why-big-data-needs-thick-data-b4b3e75e3d7Newsletter:Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here: https://www.makingthemuseum.com
What if there were just five important things to remember when you build a museum?  What if the most important one of them all — had nothing to do with architecture? Which costs more in the end: building the museum, or operating the building? (The answer might surprise you.) Is it better to be bold, or to be subtle? What’s the difference between how design teams experience a museum project — and how visitors experience it in the end? Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by David Greenbaum, FAIA (museum architect, Gensler) to discuss How to Build a Museum. Hint: it all boils down to five things you’ll want to remember. Along the way: designing a 200-year building, historic re-enactors, cap-ex versus op-ex, and the “elephant-dog-gerbil principle”. Talking Points: 1. The Importance of “Esprit de Corps” —(Team spirit.) It starts with the client’s clear vision, ambition, high expectations and drive. Informal relationships outside the org chart make cross-disciplinary collaboration easier. Team spirit is vital because there will be many challenges down the road.     2. Consider the Full Life Cycle —Mission, Vision, Design, Construction, Operations. Museums do fail. Look at projects holistically. Museum buildings are a substantial investment, but the capital costs will be outstripped by operational costs in short order. 3. Celebrate the Uniqueness — Be bold or be subtle. But be memorable. Each museum project offers an opportunity to help distinguish itself in the community it serves. Make visitors feel something.   4. There is One Visitor Experience —Art, architecture, and interpretation need to be integrated. It all adds up to form one experience. Close collaboration is key along with the client and design teams. 5. Build to Last —Design with flexibility in mind.  Change is inevitable and sometimes unpredictable. Provide a robust infrastructure for technology.  Use long lasting materials and building systems. Guest Bio: David Greenbaum, FAIA, is an expert in the design of museums, performing arts venues, visitorattractions, institutional, and mixed-use projects. In a 40-year career that includes multiple projects of national significance for the Smithsonian Institution, The National Gallery of Art, the Architect of the Capitol, and other sites in the U.S. and overseas, David has developed an international practice in museum design and comparable visitor attractions, with a particular interest in the development of cultural districts. His project work has been recognized with over 75 national and regional design honors and published in more than 300 articles, underscoring the importance of his work in the architectural and museum communities, as well as the larger public realm. David served as the 2019 Chairman of AIA National Committee on Design. After almost 35 years at SmithGroup, David changed paths to start helping clients develop and implement the planning and design of their cultural facilities. At Gensler, he now works with cultural institutions to help put the parts in place for enabling successful projects. He has great capacity for integrating the team and advancing complex projects to enable success. About MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com Show Links for This Episode: David by Email: David_Greenbaum@gensler.comDavid by Phone: +1 (202) 257-7592David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-greenbaum-faia/General Show Links: Website: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contactJonathan’s Email: alger@cgpartnersllc.comJonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgerC&G Partners: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com   Newsletter:Like the episode? Try the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
What’s the #1 thing to know about experiential technology?  How long do LED walls last? (The answer will surprise you.) Is a project done when it opens, or are growing pains normal? What happens when you use technology just to have technology? What’s an “integrator”? Is sustainability a thing in experiential tech? How? What missteps waste money, ruin the experience, and let content go stale? Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by Will Bullins (Executive Consultant, Electrosonic) to go over six Experiential Tech Insights you’ll want to remember. Along the way: AVIXA, a little wonking out on pixel pitch distance formulas, and of course, the Las Vegas Sphere. Talking Points: 1. Never use technology just to have technology.2. Be clear about your true goals.3. Growing pains are normal, after opening.4. Sustainability is a thing.5. Discuss fears, budgets and timeframes openly and often.6. Start the discussion early, even if briefly. Guest Bio:  Will Bullins brings over ten years of creative technology design to his role as Executive Consultant. He has worked on a wide range of high-profile experiential projects which helps give him a strong blend of creativity and technical design skills. Will is passionate about human-centered design and how to use technology in a way that works best for the user. His intention is not to design technology systems for the sake of designing but rather to design a system that will help facilitate the experience the client is trying to create. To deliver that solution he recognizes it is important to develop effective partnerships with architects, experience designers, content creators, and fabricators. About MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links: Will’s Email: will.bullins@electrosonic.comWill on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-bullins-cts-d-b2ba4724/Electrosonic Website: www.electrosonic.com MtM Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com  Newsletter: Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
What if there were a better way? Are the normal exhibition planning and design methods actually way too risky — and is there a way to “de-risk” them? Are our concepts not good enough, because we’re not developing enough of them, fast enough? What would happen if we merged effective web techniques like “Agile” with established physical development processes like “Waterfall”? Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by Clare Brown (PhD candidate and Creative Director at G&A) to explore “Rapid Experience Design”, a new approach to the typical development process that Clare is researching for her doctorate. Along the way: adventure education, the tyranny of the floor plan, some rollerskating, and listening to a doctoral candidate think about her project in real time. Talking Points: 1. The usual approach to exhibition design — “waterfall” — isn’t the only way.2.  We can combine approaches from outside the exhibition world to make something new.3. Focus on creating experiences first, spatial arrangements later.4. This new approach can “de-risk” a project.5. The process was inspired by teaching fast courses.6. Changing established processes teaches you about change itself. Guest Bio: Clare Brown has led teams creating museum experiences for the past 25 years. She is currently Creative Director at G&A, an experience design company where she guides creative process and cultivates human-centered design practices. In addition to professional practice, Clare's background includes design education and 'design as research', through her role as Chair and Assistant Professor of Design at the Corcoran College of Art & Design, and in pursuing a PhD in Experience Design and Collaborative Creativity. She brings to her work a background growing up as a '3rd Culture Kid' in Africa and Asia, working in the theater, and pursuing degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Museum Studies. Clare embraces dance, roller skating, and flying trapeze among many forms of physical movement to deepen her understanding of resilience, risk, joy, and creativity. About MtM:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links: Clare on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarebrown/ MtM Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com  Newsletter:Like the episode? Try the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a one-minute email on exhibition planning and design for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
What’s the A in DEAI, and why are the ADA guidelines not enough anymore? What’s intersectionality? What’s a “user expert”? If ADA isn’t our goal, what comes after? This is a must-listen episode, featuring two of the most important voices in museum accessibility today. Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by Beth Ziebarth (Smithsonian head diversity officer and director of Access Smithsonian) and Jan Majewski (Director, Inclusive Cultural and Educational Projects, IHCD) to talk “DEAI: Meeting ADA Isn’t Enough”.Along the way: when mentors become mentees, why that 26% actually might be higher, and some show notes that are a must-have all on their own. Talking Points: 1. Individuals with disabilities are 26% of the population.2. To be essential to all, museums and exhibitions must be accessible to all.3. DEI + Accessibility = DEAI 4. DEI is about the people. Accessibility is about their environment.5. Intersectionality: Everyone has multiple identities.6. Meeting the ADA standards isn’t enough for DEAI.7. Visitors with disabilities want to see themselves reflected in the exhibitions.8. Exhibition teams can tap individuals with disabilities as “user experts”. Guest Bios:Beth Ziebarth is the Smithsonian’s head diversity officer and director of Access Smithsonian. She is moving forward organizational diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI) goals by building a community of practice, serving as a lead advisor and participant in the implementation of institutional strategic initiatives and developing opportunities to bring DEAI resources into the Institution. Ziebarth also develops and implements accessibility policy and guidelines for the Institution, ensuring that Smithsonian visitors equitably experience inclusive physical and digital environments. In her more than 30 years at the Smithsonian, Ziebarth has served as a volunteer, as a social science analyst in the Institutional Studies Office, as leader of Access Smithsonian, and, more recently, as the interim head diversity officer. She has translated her personal interest in accessibility and disability into a broader professional perspective and responsibility for DEAI initiatives for visitors and staff. Ziebarth is board vice president and programs committee chair of Nature Forward, a nonprofit organization that inspires residents in the Washington, D.C., region to appreciate their natural environment through outdoor experiences and education. Ziebarth received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Marquette University in Milwaukee. Jan Majewski, Director, Inclusive Cultural and Educational Projects of IHCD, joined the Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD) to enrich her love for museums and her advocacy for making them more inclusive. Brainstorming and problem solving with museum professionals across the globe, she collaborates with clients to ensure their museums, exhibitions, programs, and policies provide people on the spectrum of ability and age, from all cultures, an equal opportunity for engagement and participation. Learning deeply from user/experts who have lived experience with disabilities, Jan helps share their expertise in museums through user testing, co-design, and training. The American Alliance of Museums awarded Jan the 2021 individual award for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion. Before joining IHCD, Jan was an Accessibility Specialist in the Disability Rights Section of the United States Department of Justice, where she worked on issues of museum accessibility, accessible technology, cooperation between the disability and business communities, and ADA technical assistance. Jan began her career in museums at the Smithsonian Institution. Coming from a classroom background, teaching students who were deaf, she began as the Coordinator for Special Education in the Institution’s then Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. She later became the Office’s Director of Outreach Programs and then founded the Institution-wide Accessibility Program where she partnered with all of the museums and the National Zoo to increase accessibility throughout the Institution. Jan led the teams that wrote the first comprehensive set of U.S. museum exhibition universal design guidelines, the Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Design, and the museum training manual, Part of Your General Public Is Disabled.About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links: Inclusive Exhibition DesignNational Association of Museum Exhibition, Exhibition: A Journal of Exhibition Theory and Practice for Museum Professionals, Fall 2015 issue: Creating an Inclusive Experience: Exhibitions and Universal Designhttps://www.name-aam.org/exhibition_fall2015  Inclusive Digital Interactives Design Collaborative project by Access Smithsonian, IHCD, and MuseWeb: Inclusive Digital Interactives: Best Practices + Researchhttps://ihcd-api.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/file+downloads/Inclusive+Digital+Interactives+Best+Practices+%2B+Research.pdf  ADA Standards for Accessible Designhttps://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/https://www.access-board.gov/ada/ Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibition Designhttps://www.sifacilities.si.edu/sites/default/files/Files/Accessibility/accessible-exhibition-design1.pdf IHCD Webcasts on Museum Exhibition Design IHCD webcast, All Museums for All People: https://www.humancentereddesign.org/media/16 IHCD webcast, Museum Prototype Testing and Co-Design in Time of Covid: https://www.humancentereddesign.org/media/13 Universal Design for Learning Universal Design for Learning Guidelines from CAST:https://udlguidelines.cast.org Levent, Nina and Pascual-Leone, Alvaro. The Multisensory Museum: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Touch, Sound, Smell, Memory, and Space. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.  Examples of Museum Pre-visit Information, Particularly for People with Certain Brain-based Disabilitieshttps://access.si.edu/node/22 https://www.mfa.org/visit/accessibility/tips-for-visitors-on-autism-spectrum ...
How can exhibition teams help to decolonize design? What are the pitfalls cultural organizations should watch out for in their DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives? What’s a supertoken and why are cluster hires a better strategy? And what does it mean to approach the process indigenous-first? The new book, “Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook” offers answers to all these questions and more, thanks to author Dr. Dori Tunstall. Now starting her own consulting firm, Dori was previously the dean of the faculty of design at OCAD in Toronto. She was also the first black dean of a faculty of design anywhere. In this episode, Dr. Tunstall joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to talk about her new book, what it means for the field of design, and how listeners can begin their own process of “decolonizing design” — from understanding the deep roots of the issue, all the way to writing smarter job postings.Guest Bio:Elizabeth "Dori" Tunstall is a design anthropologist, researcher, academic leader, writer, and educator. She was dean of the faculty of design at OCAD University (Ontario College of Art and Design University) in Toronto, Canada, and the first black dean of a faculty of design anywhere. Tunstall holds a PhD and an MA in anthropology from Stanford University and a BA in anthropology from Bryn Mawr College.About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links:Author Website for “Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook”:https://decolonizingdesignbook.wordpress.com/(The site includes a list of IBPOC bookstores to buy from, and locations for Dori’s book tour)Publisher (MIT Press) Website for “Decolonizing Design”: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262047692/decolonizing-design/Upcoming Website for Dori's New Firm (available later in Fall 2023):https://www.doritunstall.com/ Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgerNewsletter:Like this episode? Subscribe to the Making the Museum newsletter (the best way to hear about new podcast episodes). It's a one-minute regular read on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at: makingthemuseum.com
What if the best way to market an exhibition — wasn't marketing?What do we need to do better to help visitors find us in the first place? When they do, how do we engage them? When visitors arrive at our institutions, do they know where to go? What happens to the visitor's experience when we haven't thought enough about the restrooms, the stairs, or the endless line to get something to eat? Why do cultural institutions struggle with following up with visitors after they visit?Visitor experience expert Samir Bitar (The Art of Consulting) joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to discuss The Visitor Engagement Lifecycle. Along the way: empathy training, why our technology ideas might not be what our visitors want, and how every project could use a visitors' advocate. (And the answer to that question about marketing.) Talking Points: Five main phases occur, spread along a journey before, during and after a visit.  For a visual, think of these phases arranged along a circle, not a straight line.  Phase 5 leads back to Phase 1, in a continuous cycle. Pre-Visit:1. Discover: Visitor is gathering information.2. Engage: Visitor is actively planning a visit, getting tickets, calling ahead. During Visit:3. Arrive: Visitor arrives on site, looking for orientation and direction.4. Experience: Visitor does the experience, uses amenities, makes purchases. Post-Visit:5. Followup: Visitor signs up for emails, gives feedback, becomes a member. Phase 5 now leads back to Phase 1. Guest Bio: Samir Bitar is a customer experience advisor, lecturer, and keynote speaker who helps organizations focus on the experiences of the people they serve. As the inaugural Director of Visitor Experience for the Smithsonian Institution he led a revitalization of the visitor experience across galleries, museums, and a zoo. In doing so, he helped transform an organization’s relationship with its visitors. During his tenure, Samir pioneered the use of visitor journey mapping in museum planning and design, published a watershed study of visitors' museum experience, and produced the award-winning Hirshhorn Eye mobile app. In 2018, Samir stepped down from his position to open the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, and in 2019, founded The Art of Consulting. Through his firm, Samir works with organizations to embed new capacities that lead to a customer experience transformation.About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: http://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links:Samir’s Website:http://theartofconsulting.orgSamir’s Email:samir@theartofconsulting.orgShow Contact:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com  Newsletter:Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! (It’s the best way to know when a new podcast episode goes live.) Making the Museum is also a very short daily newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:www.makingthemuseum.com
Three podcast hosts join forces in a single show to discuss the latest in experience design. It’s a fast-paced three-way session covering half a dozen broad themes, and countless smaller ones. What are we hearing out there? How can we apply it to the work of cultural institutions? Is the biggest creative trend of them all the resurgence of … empathy? Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) is joined by the co-hosts of “Matters of Experience,” Brenda Cowan (Professor at SUNY FIT) and Abigail Honor (Founding Partner of Lorem Ipsum Corp) — who share what they’ve learned so far from their own podcast about experience design. Along the way: a mystery visit, disagreeing with yourself, and cocktails in the arms and armor gallery. In case anyone’s keeping track, this is a podcast about a podcast. (And it would probably be easier to summarize what we didn’t discuss than what we did.)Talking Points:1. Breaking Down The Silos (The purpose of “Matters of Experience”)2. Cross Pollination (The people we interview)3. Immersion, AI, and Empathy (The trends we are finding)4. Experience Designers at the Table (It’s not all about architecture)5. Collections, Repatriation and Provocation (What is happening with objects)6. Being Playful, Seeing the Larger Context, and Owning It (Takeaways for listeners)Guest Bios:Abigail Honor, co-host of the podcast “Matters of Experience”, is a founding partner of Lorem Ipsum Corp. She is a curator and experience designer of award-winning exhibits such as The Warmth of Yamal, Zoya Museum and Zaradye Park and has worked with world-renowned international museums and foundations, including, the Smithsonian Museum and the V-A-C Foundation. Abigail has partnered with corporations including Verizon 5G, Google, and Snapchat and has spoken at global conferences like the Society for Experiential Graphic Design, MuseumNext, and the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts about museum design, visitor experience, and multimedia. Abigail graduated from Boston University with an MFA in film production.Brenda Cowan, co-host of the podcast “Matters of Experience”, is a Professor and former Chairperson of Graduate Exhibition & Experience Design at the SUNY/Fashion Institute of Technology in New York where she teaches exhibition development and evaluation; object and museum studies; research methodologies and audience studies. Her background includes work for museums and design firms in education, exhibition development, and research. Brenda is a Fulbright Specialist in the disciplines of museums, objects and mental health. Her research work with museum objects, mental health and healing has been presented for the American Alliance of Museums; Museums of Hope; MidAtlantic Association of Museums; Sweden’s National Museums of World Culture; CoMuseum Athens; the American Association of State and Local History Leadership Institute; and published with Routledge, Taylor & Francis, the National Association for Museum Exhibition, and the Society for Experiential Graphic Design. About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links:Podcast: Matters of Experience https://loremipsumcorp.com/matters-of-experience/Abby via LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/abigailhonor/Abby at Lorem Ipsum:https://www.loremipsumcorp.comBrenda via LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-cowan-01bb94140/Brenda / Museums, Health, and Wellbeing: Museum Projectshttps://www.psychotherapeuticobjectdynamics.com/for-the-museum-communityBrenda / New Book: Museum Objects, Health and Healinghttps://www.routledge.com/Museum-Objects-Health-and-Healing-The-Relationship-between-Exhibitions/Cowan-Laird-McKeown/p/book/9781138606203Brenda / Research: Psychotherapeutic Object Dynamicswww.psychotherapeuticobjectdynamics.comShow Contact:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.comNewsletter:Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! (It’s the best way to know when a new podcast episode goes live.) Making the Museum is also a very short daily newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe here:https://www.makingthemuseum.com
What if there were a high-quality, peer-reviewed journal for the whole exhibition community? What if it featured the leading organizations, practitioners and ideas that shape the whole industry? What if back issues for the past 30 years were available — for free to see online, right now?“Exhibition,” the Journal of Exhibition Theory & Practice, published by the American Alliance of Museums, is all those things. But who makes it? What has it taught us? And what’s coming next? Ian Kerrigan (Managing Editor of “Exhibition” and Senior Vice President for Exhibitions at National September 11 Memorial & Museum) joins Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to go “Behind the Scenes at Exhibition Journal”.  Along the way: 1001 inventions, how fun helps even serious subjects, and why sometimes you might need to change your name.How to Subscribe: Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-the-museum/id1674901311 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6oP4QJR7yxv7Rs7VqIpI1G Googlehttps://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL21ha2luZy10aGUtbXVzZXVt Everywhere https://makingthemuseum.transistor.fm/ Talking Points:1. Big Ideas on Small (or Smaller) Budgets (Spring 2023)2. Effective Exhibitions Should _____ (Fall 2022)3. Putting Children First (Spring 2022)4. Beyond the Walls (Fall 2021)5. Crisis & Resilience (Spring 2021)6. Making Space for Fun in Museum Exhibitions (Fall 2020)7. Can Exhibitions Save the Planet? (Spring 2020) Guest Bio:Ian Kerrigan is Senior Vice President for Exhibitions at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York where he oversees exhibition development, design, and installation of the institution’s award-winning projects. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Museum Studies Program at New York University and serves as the Managing Editor for Exhibition, a journal of exhibition theory and practice published by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). He is also a federal grant reviewer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Arts, and a peer reviewer for the AAM’s Museum Assessment Program. About “Exhibition”: If you or your museum produces exhibitions, you’ll want to know about Exhibition, the peer-reviewed journal published by AAM with the leadership of Ian Kerrigan as Managing Editor and Jenny-Sayre Ramberg as Exhibits Newsline Editor, serving volunteer terms through December 2024, and Editor Jeanne Normand Goswami. Each issue is packed with insights on the latest developments in museum exhibition practice and award-winning designs. Published twice a year, Exhibition offers more than 100 pages of thought-provoking articles, exhibition critiques, and commentary, technical articles, and essays. Each issue is organized around a theme, such as the power of words, exhibitions and universal design, innovation and community relevance and new media in exhibitions.About Making the Museum:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links: Contact Ian Kerrigan at:ikerrigan@911memorial.orgwww.linkedin.com/in/ian-kerrigan-10363420 Subscribe to Exhibition journal at:www.aam-us.org/programs/exhibition-journal View past issues of Exhibition journal at:www.name-aam.org/past-issues-online Feasibility Report template from Spring 2021 issue article “Real Talk: Assessing Feasibility with Collaborative Teams” by Emily Saich and Joey Scott from the Monterey Bay Aquarium at:https://mbayaq.co/37Lvrrq Resource list from Spring 2021 issue essay “Museum Remedy: 15 Resources for Museums Through a Lens of Racial Equity” by Monica O. Montogomery at:https://rb.gy/us6jh Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com Newsletter: Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a very short daily newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at:  https://www.makingthemuseum.com
What if accessible design was for everybody, starting with … ourselves? What if we are all only temporarily enabled? How can a broader philosophy of access benefit every visitor? What does a WWII veteran have in common with a mom carrying a baby? Could TikTok and the rise of “quiet social media” teach us something we missed? Phillip Tiongson (Potion) joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to discuss the realization that “We Are All Temporarily Enabled”. Along the way: interactive cinema, a change of heart, and the story of a tippy boat.  How to Listen:Subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-the-museum/id1674901311Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6oP4QJR7yxv7Rs7VqIpI1GTalking Points: 1. We are all temporarily enabled2. Accessibility is a state of mind, not a bar to clear3. Accessibility enhances access for all4. The example of open captions5. There is no ADA for stories6. The role of the “expert user” Guest Bio: Phillip R. Tiongson, CEO of Potion, is a Filipino American designer and leading authority on interactive technology that merges physical and digital elements. Phillip’s work has shaped the field at large. His award-winning projects have preceded mainstream versions of touch surfaces, position-based apps, and smart environments. Phillip holds an MS from MIT Media Lab, an MFA in Film Directing from Columbia, and two patents for interface design. He has been honored by AAM, SEGD, Fast Company, MUSE, Comm Arts, SXSW, and ADC. His clients include the Museum of Science and Industry, Richard Avedon Foundation, Smithsonian Networks, The Field Museum, and Nike. See you there! Warmly,Jonathan - - - - - - - - - - - - -About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links: phillip@potiondesign.com https://www.potiondesign.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/philliptiongson/ Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com Newsletter:Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a short newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams, and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at: https://www.makingthemuseum.com
What is this thing we call a traveling exhibition?  Do they make money? Are traveling exhibitions the same as temporary ones? How can anyone plan a project for a space they’ll never see? Carol Bossert (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service / Smithsonian Affiliations) joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to reveal the “8 Principles of Traveling Exhibitions”. Along the way: thinking in whole truckloads, how to get to square two, and what happens when you have a 16-foot narwhal.Talking Points:1. Traveling exhibitions aren't temporary exhibitions.2. Match the exhibition to the realities of the host sites.3. Traveling exhibitions aren't all the same.4. Traveling exhibitions are stage sets.5. Size constraints matter.6. Weight constraints matter.7. Traveling exhibitions cannot rely on linear storytelling.8. Traveling exhibitions must consider staffing at host sites.9. [BONUS] Do traveling exhibitions make money? Guest Bio:Carol Bossert is an interpretive planner, writer and exhibition developer. She began her museum career at the Newark Museum and spent twenty years as an independent museum professional, having been involved in over 80 projects in five countries. Her 2014-2017 podcast Museum Life attracted over 2,000 monthly listeners. In 2017, she accepted a position with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and is currently serving as the program manager for science. Carol holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Texas at Dallas and a B.A. in zoology from DePauw University. She is a graduate of the J. Paul Getty Museum Management Institute. About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. A project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links: SITES exhibition offerings: https://www.sites.si.edu/s/   The Museum on Mainstreet: https://museumonmainstreet.org/Smithsonian Affiliations: https://affiliations.si.edu/Reach Carol Bossert at: bossertc@si.edu or 202-633-2601 Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com Newsletter:Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a very short daily newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at:  https://www.makingthemuseum.com
It’s a rare moment when a leading designer swaps jobs to lead a nonprofit member organization. And then has to lead that organization through a global pandemic. What unique insights does an experience like that give you — and what can we all learn from it?Cybelle Jones (CEO of SEGD), joins host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) to discuss what she’s learned going “From Leading Designer to Leading a Nonprofit”. Along the way: finding your friendly nemesis, becoming a truffle pig, wearing the Hope Diamond — and all about the SEGD 50th Annual Meeting in Washington DC in August.Talking Points:1. Reinvention: Be agile and willing to reinvent yourself.2. Competition / Cameraderie: It’s important to have a friendly nemesis and peer competition, but also to allow the space for open conversations.3. Bigger Market: We can market our expertise to many more companies, markets and projects than you may realize.4. Right Thing: We have tremendous influence and power to do the right thing on behalf of the communities, visitors and people our design is in service to. 5. Legacy: We have a responsibility to create the pipeline for the next generation our communal future.6. That Question: Ask me anything. And no, I don’t miss designing. You know why?7. SEGD’s 50th: What to expect at the organization’s 50th Annual Meeting in August.Guest Bio:Cybelle Jones is CEO of SEGD, a multidisciplinary community creating experiences that connect people to place. SEGD is a non-profit member organization focusing on education, innovation and design excellence by designing more equitable, sustainable, and user-centric environments. Prior to joining SEGD, Cybelle led numerous acclaimed design projects during her 25+ year tenure as Principal of G&A, including the National WWII Museum, the International Spy Museum, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum. Cybelle is actively involved in various boards and has spoken on the field of experience design at AAM, the V&A, FIT, AIGA, AIA and MuseumNext.About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. It is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links:www.segd.orgcybelle@segd.orglinkedin.com/in/cybelle-jones-8b495b13Show Contact:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.comNewsletter:Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a very short daily newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at:  https://www.makingthemuseum.com
(P.S. Will you be at AAM in Denver? Drop a line if you’d like to catch up there, or see if we can find Phil & Monique at the grab-and-go café.) If a project is over budget, who does the cutting? How early should you estimate costs on a project? What should you do with expensive suggestions? How do you make your own cost estimate?  Host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) goes through a list of “Black Belt Cost Control Tips.” Along the way: the beauty of modularity, poker wisdom, and ideas that will save you a lot of time and money. Talking Points: 1. Plan to NOT Be Over Budget 2. Modular Alternates 3. React Fast to Expensive Suggestions 4. The End Is Too Late / Estimate Insanely Early 5. Estimate Repeatedly 6. Adjust As You Go 7. Control the Cuts Yourself Bio:We always start with a bio, but this is a solo show, so here’s mine: I am the Managing Partner of C&G Partners, a design firm in New York City working with cultural clients. I was taught architecture and graphic design in the day, and theater and music at night, but I never thought I could do all that for a living. Like every guest on this show so far, I got into this field accidentally. In fact it found me, decades ago, but that’s a story for another time. About:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture. Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.comShow Links: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/black-belt-cost-control-tipshttps://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/plan-to-not-be-over-budgethttps://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/five-whyshttps://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/react-fast-to-expensive-suggestions Show Contact: https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contacthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalgeralger@cgpartnersllc.comhttps://www.cgpartnersllc.com Newsletter: Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a very short daily newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at:  https://www.makingthemuseum.com
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