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Renew or die

The renovation of a museum or permanent exhibition is one of the most complex processes for a museologist. It is not easy to know when, how or what to renew or change. In this roundtable, different museums that have undergone major renovations of their equipment will tell us their experience in the process and the challenges they faced. After changes of project, budget and other struggles, CosmoCaixa opened Universe Gallery in 2019 and only two years later was awarded the Kenneth Hudson 2021 award as a museum that likes to continuously reinvent itself. In 2010, only 12 years after its opening, Naturalis Biodiversity Center decided to enlarge the building and renovate the permanent display. Copernicus Science Center started a complete change only five years after opening.

Why renew exhibitions when your public already loves you? Join our session and find out more!

Facilitator

Dacha Atienza
Head of Scientific Area
Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona
Barcelona
Spain

Session speakers

Caroline Breunesse
Head of Exhibitions
Naturalis Biodiversity Center
In 2010, only 12 years after its opening, Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands decided to enlarge the building and renovate the permanent display. This was necessary because of large visitor numbers and several merges with other collections. Offices, storage rooms and museum floors turned out to be too small and renovation was inevitable. This led to an ambitious project in which a brand new museum building was made, with 6.000 m2 for the new permanent exhibition. The exhibitions team got the opportunity to think from scratch about the visitor flow, themes for exhibitions, target groups and the look & feel of the building and exhibitions design. On 30 August 2019 the new museum opened its doors, welcomed 700.000 visitors in two years (including Covid restrictions) and was awarded the European Museum of the Year 2021.
Irena Cieslinska
Chief of Unicorn Division
Copernicus Science Centre
The Copernicus Science Center started a complete change only five years after opening, during the (prolonged) honeymoon when we sold tickets six months or nine months in advance. Why did we do it, what did we change, and what came out of it?
Javier Hidalgo Gil
Head of science exhibition and programmes
CosmoCaixa. "la Caixa" Foundation
BARCELONA
Spain
The full renovation of the permanent exhibition hall in 2019 was aimed at maintaining CosmoCaixa’s identity as a cutting-edge science museum that's has always been committed to global quality for our visitors. The museum is non-profit, owned by "la Caixa" Foundation and its funding is 100% private. The renovation process began 9 years before with expert’s focus group and a group of people eager to start. After changes of project, budget and other struggles in 1919 we open Universe Gallery and in 2021 was awarded the Kenneth Hudson 2021 award as a museum that likes to continuously reinvent itself and challenge its visitors to think and feel about how they co-create a better world.

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