Culture & Museums

From museums, to theaters, to community-based centers, we create purposeful, elevated experiences that welcome, educate, and entertain diverse audiences and resonate with museum and cultural institution clients, donors, staff, and stakeholders.
The best museum design integrates a variety of experiences to meet visitors’ changing expectations and ensure all community members feel like they belong.
—Michael Volk, Culture & Museums leader
INSIGHTS
CULTURE & MUSEUMS DESIGN TRENDS TO WATCH

Mainstream curation will embrace more diverse artists to reflect the demographics of the surrounding community.

Larger cultural institutions will create new spaces for local talent and art, establishing themselves as platforms to elevate regional dialogue and discussion. Centering exhibitions around art scene celebrities or well-known histories is only one mode of engagement with the public. Capturing emerging talent living in the city will unlock new opportunities to elevate community culture and support overall development in the arts.

 

An institution’s internal personnel and leadership structure must reflect claims of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Announcing intentions to reform discriminatory practices and promote inclusivity will only be meaningful if institutions support their claims with tangible actions. One step is in the underlying perspectives informing curation, but another, perhaps more crucial, step is in establishing a more diverse chorus of voices in the cultural institution’s structure.

 

Independent local establishments will present new paths to elevate a community’s spirit and culture.

Independent galleries, performing arts clubs, and other cultural venues embedded in neighborhoods are providing new opportunities for community expression. With flexible spaces that harness easily accessible technology and media, they are offering authentic exhibition experiences that challenge audiences, provoke dialogue, and empower local voices.

 
Museums must serve more diverse communities than ever. In 2022, for the first time, people of color were just as or more likely to visit museums as white museum-goers.
Wilkening Consulting & American Alliance of Museums, 2023 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers
4 pie charts showing % of people likely to visit museums by ethnicity.
A person walking in front of a large white building.
Design Forecast 2023
10 Meta Trends That Will Transform the Future of Cities
Design Forecast identifies the trends and design strategies that are shaping the future of the human experience and the built environment. We provide strategic advice, research, and projects from all 29 of Gensler's practices to help clients prepare for transformational times.
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CULTURE & MUSEUMS LEADERSHIP
NEWS