Expert Source: Inclusive Museum Design Cultivates Diversity
How can museums be more inclusive and welcoming of the world around them? It starts with thoughtful approaches to planning and design, says architect Erin Flynn, a leader in the cultural practice at Cooper Robertson, with success through a wide-ranging focus on diversity, starting in the earliest phases of programming and conceptual design.
“Today’s museums have evolved into cultural centers that engage all visitors and especially their neighbors and local community,” said Flynn, RA, LEED AP, a partner at the firm behind such projects as The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, the new Princeton University Art Museum, the Gateway Arch Museum in St. Louis and the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, among many others. “They’re designed as accessible, magnetic centers of diversity that arouse visitor interest and evoke a desire to connect. This is done through universally appealing public galleries, ample gathering areas and specialized program spaces that boost inclusivity across ages, interests, ethnicities and abilities.”