Museum Architecture

The architecture used to construct museums has evolved over the years. Like the changes witnessed in other forms of constructions, the purpose and location of museums have revolutionalized to reflect different needs. Some of the designs adopted by museum constructors have to lead to heated debates as to whether the building should overshadow the decorative or monumental items contained within it.  The new generation of museums has different features that either conflict the traditional concept of museums or serve a specific purpose, such as enhancing the marketing prospects of the museum. Architecture plays an essential role in the museum industry as an artistic, marketing, or sustainability feature that not only preserves art but also satisfies the needs of the users.

Architectural designs have changed over the years to accommodate modern needs and sustainability. Historically, buildings have adopted the styles and designs popular within an era. According to Suzanne MacLeod (6), the time during which a museum is constructed influences the specific features included in the structural component of the museum. For example, European museums built in the 1600s followed the Baroque architectural designs. Inevitably, such museums are likely to feature theoretical styles since the plan was invented at a time when religion was an influential force within the European nations. The baroque-inspired museums therefore reflect the historical era they were constructed in, such as the religious significance of the time.

Consequently, modern museums have adopted the trending architectural designs. Currently, futuristic designs are standard, and as such, new museums are constructed to reflect the prominence of science and technology. The Dali museum is built in a manner that technology and nature are mixed in equal measures. The Dali museum’s architecture conforms to progressiveness and classism, as expressed by Hine (Hine, 00:00:18-00:00:23). Furthermore, the design reflects the majestic experience of Deli, who acts as the inspiration behind its structure. The process of determining the architectural design adopted in the construction of a museum considers the prevailing trends as well as the history behind significant themes of construction. In any case, one can argue that the architecture of a museum plays a documentary role in preserving the political, social, and economic characteristics of different historical periods. On the other hand, museums have adopted a sustainability-oriented approach to construction. Renewable energy has become a standard feature among museums designed as environmentally friendly. The idea behind such methods is to ensure reliable and low-cost sources of energy (Muller 233). The successful adoption of environmentally friendly features acts as a motivating and educative feature to the importance of environmental protection..

In recent years, the needs of museum users play a transformative role in architectural structures of such centers. User experience and interaction with pieces hosted in a museum leave specific impressions on the visitors. As a result, structures that maximize real-time interactions with art are preferred. To this effect, a traditionally structured museum is renovated to feature spaces that entertain the visitors in addition to viewing the art (Rentschler and Hede 10). The inclusions vary from shops, cafeterias, and play stations for young kids. The importance of additional features lies in need to avail of a diversified experience for interacting with art. Specifically, features such as virtually enhanced displays are becoming a massive part of modern museum construction. Inarguably, such features have made museums fun to visits. For instance, the inclusion of technology enables the successful expansion of the potential pool of visitors. This occurs when more people are attracted to the museum due to new features as compared to previous years. The ability of a museum to consider the needs of the users is commendable since it proves the customer-oriented approach to art and art conservation. With the customer in mind, the construction of the museum serves to encourage longevity in user satisfaction. The ability to keep users satisfied is especially crucial to commercial museums that need to generate income from visitor frequencies.

Architecture in the museum industry acts as a marketing tool. Marketing refers to the process by which a business creates awareness for its products and services. The museum industry has not been left behind in the globalization process. Today, museum managers are faced with the challenge of ensuring that their spaces attract the global visitor in order to sustain their museums. The architectural design of a museum, therefore, comes in handy for museums looking for the unique factor. Here one realizes the importance of space creativity. Put, architecture avails an avenue for product differentiation and branding. Indeed, the availability of creative spaces within museums creates a specific feel to visitors, which can act as a customer attracting features. The museums established for commercial purposes rely on the number of customers they receive per day. As a result, such museums space designing in addition to their art as a method of popularizing their services. Turi et al. explain the revolution renovations on the Royal Ontario Museum had on the market share of the museum within the industry. The structural reorganization of the museum along architectural dimensions enabled the ROM to access new market segments and availed future business prospects for the center. The ability to differentiate a museum through branding and architectural marketing can be termed as a form of art in itself.

Art encompasses the different styles developed through architecture. The controversy is surrounding museum architecture centers on the argument as to whether the structure should outshine the contents of the museum or not. However, it is essential to consider architectural products as artistic work, especially within the museum industry. The individuality of each creative piece ensures that there is no direct negative correlation between an architecturally unique museum and the pieces hosted inside. In retrospect, beautifully built museums attract architectural enthusiasts who have the ability to double up as art appreciators. Additionally, like art, buildings are meant to enhance the appearance of the areas they are set in. This perspective justifies any efforts to beatify the museum building. Additionally, in light of improving the view of a city, museums use structural designs to contribute to community uniqueness.

The availability of architectural alternatives within the museum industry enhances the definition of art preservation and observation.  The structure of a museum determines the level of interaction that visitors have with the art pieces and the consequent impression they leave the center with. To this effect, marketing through building design becomes possible, especially to commercial museums. Secondly, the ability to include sustainable features such as renewable energy acts a firm declaration of the museum consideration of their environment. Having considered are these factors, it becomes easy to understand the need for architectural appreciation of museums as part of the stories told within their walls.

Works Cited

MacLeod, Suzanne. “Reshaping Museum Space Architecture, Design, Exhibitions.” Taylor & Francis Group, 2005.

Mueller, Helmut.“Energy efficient museum buildings.” Elsevier, Vol. 49, pp. 232-236, 2013. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148112000365

Rentschler, Ruth, and Hede, Anne-Marie.“Museum Marketing: Competing in the Global Marketplace.” Elsevier, 2007. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=01FbzV1fiX4C&oi=fnd&pg=PA226&dq=museum+architecture+design&ots=EvKrO3y4lG&sig=Duun9FScyfsnjRMbYiP1BnZpRw8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=museum%20architecture%20design&f=false

TheCoolist. “Salvador Dali Museum: an Inside Look at the Art and Architecture of TheDali.” YouTube, commentary by Dr. Hank Hine, 10 Dec. 2014, youtube.com/watch?v=RuIIzgHAviY

Turi, Annick, and Brunet, Johanne. “Company Profile: The Renaissance of the Royal Ontario Museum: Architecture Meets Experiential Marketing.” International Journal of Arts Management, Vol. 11. no.3, pp. 74-82, 2009. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41064999?seq=1