Architectural & Exhibit Master Plan
Programming Phase
Executive Summary
for the
Pink Palace Museum
Memphis Tennessee
January 2012
Prepared By
Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects
Christopher Chadbourne & Associates
Tom Robison & Associates
OGCB, INC.
E
XECUTIVE
S
UMMARY
1. Introduction and Building History
The Pink Palace Family of Museums has a remarkable and enviable set of assets. Through its museum, events spaces, Sharpe Planetarium, Crew Training International IMAX® Theater, Lichterman Nature Center and its other historic
and natural sites, the institution has an array of cultural and educational facilities and learning opportunities. It is currently faced with the need to address the many financial and logistical issues critical to its long-term
sustainability and public value. From this perspective, its many assets are both strengths and challenges.
Many museums experience organic growth during their institutional histories. They add to collections as a result of a donor or curator’s strong interest or expertise. They acquire objects and buildings through special gifts or in recognition of preservation
needs. They offer new exhibits and programs to meet changing regional and professional needs. While all of these actions are important as they occur, they may result in a scattered focus that periodically requires new thinking. The Pink Palace has responded to a variety of opportunities over the years, and now faces the challenge of creating a fresh identity. The museum has an exciting opportunity to create a thematically unique niche in the cultural community of Memphis and the Mid-South. These notes address some of those opportunities and re-emphasize the need to build for the future while establishing relevance and meaning with the core audiences.
It is telling that in discussion with both board and staff, some museum personnel described the museum as a history museum, while others saw it as a science or natural history museum. The strategic plan refers to the museum as three
Although it can be advantageous to have people relate to the content of a museum in different ways, it can also create confusion. Audience research suggests there is greater strength in establishing a well-defined identity. Such an identity would benefit from defining overarching interpretive directions to unify the varied subject matter of the museum and create meaningful intersections between them.FFFFF
1
FFFFF Undertaking this exercise is a highly valuable starting point to
the subsequent redesign of exhibitions.
2. Alignment with the Museum’s Strategic Plan 2007
In 2005, the Pink Palace engaged the planning firm of Museum Management Consultants, San Francisco, to work closely with the Museum Core Planning Committee and create a Strategic Plan for the period 2007 through 2012. Funded by the City of Memphis and approved by the Museum’s non-profit Board this Strategic Plan resulted in a comprehensive plan which will guide the museum for many years. The plan included 7 key goals required to achieve a transformation of the Pink Palace Museum. This Master Plan aligns with the Capital Strategic Plan of 2007-2012 in the following ways:
Goal 1 Create a compelling visitor experience: Of utmost importance is the
museum’s goal of surprising and delighting visitors. An entry ticket is a promise. The visitor’s experience must be memorable, rewarding and fulfilling. Their experience should cause them to return repeatedly to explore new areas, see new exhibits and be entertained and enlightened. This goal has been in the forefront of all our thinking and planning. This goal has led our team to plan for a new main entrance, a reorganization and update of all exhibit areas,
improvement and expansion of visitor services and public areas and upgrades to meet the needs of a diverse group of visitors from school children, with the inclusion of a student orientation area, to those with special needs. With so many entertainment options in the world at large we must make a visit to the Pink rewarding enough to compel visitors to return soon.
Goal 2 Restructure the collections to better support the Museum mission and visitor experience: The museum has a valuable set of exhibition assets, but
many of these are either in outdated exhibit settings or not displayed in meaningful sequence. This Master Plan addresses the collections issue and attempts to update not only the way that the museum’s artifacts are viewed but to rearrange them into a meaningful, thematic and sequential story.
Of particular note is the consolidation of the collections area with access to the loading dock and other support areas. In addition, our planning moves the location of the temporary exhibit area so that it is closer to a loading dock and other exhibit support services. Lastly, we propose that the Pink Palace Mansion become the showcase for the unique treasures of the PPFM, including the Clyde Parke Circus, the Piggly Wiggly store and other iconic exhibits.
Goal 3 Develop a financial model that allows for growth, prosperity, and a sustainable operating capacity: Today’s museum is a delicate mix of exhibit,
programming and public gathering spaces.
Public spaces have been rearranged and enlarged in this plan to allow for simultaneous special events ranging from weddings to corporate parties. Additional earned income for the PPFM must be found from new sources as the contribution of the City continues to remain flat. With that in mind, this Master Plan focuses on how to increase special events revenue through the creation of new exterior public spaces, enhanced retail offerings, new dining facilities, and supporting kitchens, among additional changes. At the same time, we have been mindful of the museum’s educational mission, so the public spaces include iconic exhibits which will educate, inspire and excite visitors. These spaces should remain flexible enough to use for temporary exhibits and other uses when needed. The long-term prosperity of the museum may well depend on how successful we are at enabling the
museum to attract new streams of revenue and to remain meaningful to our visitors.
Goal 4 Cultivate audiences and deepen community awareness: One test for
any great museum is how much it is used by the public. Well conceived, easily accessed gathering areas inside the museum building are critical to this
mission. New exhibit areas should have space dedicated to small public gatherings, perhaps to address something topical or explore a particular historical aspect of the containing exhibit. Large gathering spaces, including the IMAX® Theater, the new Planetarium, the Mansion Ballroom and the Club
Room will be upgraded and made more accessible to outside community gatherings.
Goal 5 Focus operations at the Pink Palace and Lichterman: This master plan
addresses the need to reorganize some administrative offices, create new office space, and to enlarge and improve the call center, the Friends of the Pink Palace offices, the collection areas and exhibit support areas.
Goal 6 Build a highly motivated team of employees and volunteers with the appropriate skill sets to achieve the mission: One key to the motivation of
employees and volunteers is to provide them with the space needed to accomplish their objectives. New staff offices, conference room, offices for the Friends of the Pink Palace and other support areas will be improved as part of this plan. A new enlarged call center with windows cannot help but
increase customer friendliness.
Goal 7 Strengthen the ability of the Board of Trustees to govern PPFM in cooperation with the City of Memphis: By increasing the areas available for
special events, this plan encourages new streams of income for the Pink Palace and allows the Board increased resources to govern PPFM in
cooperation with the City of Memphis. The Board will have new opportunities for income growth from the public with flexible special event spaces and meeting areas. These spaces will include iconic exhibits so that they also advance the museum’s mission. In addition, cost estimates for all work, fundraising materials and a phasing plan will enhance the Board’s ability to steer this process to a successful conclusion. The overall improvement in the
quality of the visitor experience will inspire and empower the Board’s work and take it to new levels.
3. Architectural Program
The Master Plan is divided into two important parts: Programming and
Schematic Design (Exhibits). This report is the culmination of the Programming Phase, and describes the priorities and phases as outlined in this report.
Schematic Design Phase, will be a more complete and detailed analysis of one of the four alternate schemes presented as part of this report. In particular, the Schematic Design Phase (Exhibits) will give definition to the exhibit areas,
exhibit adjacencies and early exhibit layouts.
4. Building and Site Study at 3050 Central Avenue
The Pink Palace Museum is located in a residential neighborhood near the geographical center of the City of Memphis. This majestic 9.7 acre site is
bounded on all four sides by roadways: Central Avenue to the south, Lafayette Street to the east, Tilton to the west and East Goodwyn/Lafayette Place to the north. Both Lafayette Street (as it intersects with Poplar Avenue) and Central Avenue connect the museum to the city via heavily traveled east-west roadways. The mansion is located in the far northern portion of the site and is fronted by a wide and relatively flat lawn area facing Central Avenue. Below this lawn is the underground IMAX® Theater and educational facilities. The
mansion is the primary "face" of the property and gives the facility its name. The exhibit wing of the museum is on the east side of the mansion, facing Lafayette Street, and contains the main entrance for the facility.
At almost 160,000 square feet, the Pink Palace is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the southeast. The facility is comprised of three major buildings, the mansion (1930), the exhibit wing (1977 & 1992) and the underground IMAX®
Theater and educational facilities (1996), added in intervals over sixty-six years. The original functions of these buildings vary from private residence to museum space.
The first and most prominent building is the mansion (locally known as the Pink Palace). Originally constructed as a private residence for Clarence Saunders, this building was designed by Hubert McGee and sheathed in pink Georgia marble. The main floor is primarily used as a special events space, with some specialized exhibits in the east wing. The second floor of the mansion serves a back-of-house capacity, housing storage, offices for the Friends of the Pink Palace and a geological collections laboratory.
The second major building added to the facility was a wing on the east side of the mansion. This angular, windowless
building sheathed in a beige-colored masonry was built in 1977. This space was constructed specifically to house museum facilities and is the primary exhibit building on campus. In 1992, the space between the exhibit wing and the mansion was in-filled with a two-story addition to create the lobby and vertical circulation space. The additions to the north side added work shops and administration spaces.
The east wing houses the majority of the facility’s public spaces including most of the Museum’s exhibition floor space, the Planetarium, restaurant, entrance and lobby, as well as other back-of-house functions such as administrative offices and collections storage.
An underground building is the final component to the campus. In 1996, facilities opened beneath the front lawn of the mansion. These new facilities house the IMAX® Theater and educational spaces as well as administration
areas and event support space.
In this report, each area/ system of the museum has been carefully analyzed to determine its serviceability and appropriateness for any future expansion or reconfiguration.
1992 addition with original mansion on the
1992 Addition 1977 Addition Museum Entrance 1930 Mansion 1992 Addition Southwest lawn Gated Public Entry Staff Parking Front Lawn & 1996 Underground IMAX & education Parking Gated Staff Entry
5. Conceptual Design Alternates Evaluation and Cost Estimates
An evaluation of 24 key issues for each of the four alternates, including E, a variation on Alternate D was made to determine a numerical score for each of these alternates. This matrix includes issues from arrival to cost of construction. The full matrix can be viewed in the Conceptual Design Alternatives section.
Summary of
Alternate Evaluation Matrix
Pink Palace Master Plan
Programming Phase
Alternates
Goal/ Objective B C D E
24 Goals/ Objectives evaluated using a numerical system: 5 - Excellent, 4 - Good 3 - Acceptable, 2 - needs improvement
73 100 110 114
The probable cost of construction of the Conceptual Design Alternatives, shown below, includes contractor overhead and profit, general conditions, contingencies, permitting and bonding.
Cost Comparison Chart Master Plan Programming Phase
Alternate B C D E Building $2,849,776 $4,489,125 $5,213,444 $5,438,444 COM Requirements $569,955 $897,825 $1,042,698 $1,087,688 Exhibits $17,363,780 $16,386,460 $12,880,700 $12,880,700 Grand Total $20,783,511 $21,773,410 $19,136,842 $19,406,832
Alternate E includes the addition of stairs / elevator on the north wall of the mansion, allowing easy public access to all floors and in particular the exhibits area on the upper floor. A sum of $269,990 would be required to make this change.
An important positive note about the prospect for completing this plan is that the City of Memphis has agreed to match private funding dollar for dollar.
Scheme B – First Floor Plan
Club Room Renovated Restaurant Kitchen Gift Shop Ticketing Lobby Membership School Gathering M W Renovated Collections Exhibit I Existing Entryl Doors Collections Exhibit PrepScheme B – Second Floor Plan
Mansion Catering Kitchen Mansion Catering Staging Mansion Ballroom Mansion Lobby Exhibit II Exhibit III MezzanineRemove existing stairs and floor existing opening
Administration Collections Mansion Theatre Dunavant Room / Event Mansion Exhibit Mansion Exhibit East
Scheme B – Third Floor Plan
Call Ctr Conf. Friends Future Exhibit Conf. Roof Roof Dressing RmScheme C – First Floor Plan
Café Receiving, Storage & Prep
Kitchen New Dumbwaiter Club Room Collections Collections Catering Kitchen Membership & Ticketing Office Planetarium Lobby Ticketing 2 storey space Gift Shop School Gathering / Event Gift Shop Storage Exhibit I Lobby Collections Relocated Entry Doors School Entry Exhibit Prep
Scheme C – Second Floor Plan
Café Kitchen Café Dining Rm Catering Staging / Storage Outdoor Dining Dunavant Room / Dining New Elev & Stairs to Club Room Mansion Ballroom Mansion Lobby Mansion Exhibit Mansion Exhibit East Mezzanine Exhibit IV Exhibit III Exhibit II New Entry Storage Mech. Mech. Administration Collections Mansion TheatreScheme C –Third Floor Plan
Exhibit New Elev Storage Conf. Call Ctr Dressing Rm Friends Conf. Admin. Break Rm Roof RoofScheme D – First Floor Plan
Café Receiving & Prep Kitchen Club Room New Dumbwaiter Collections Catering Kitchen Exhibit Prep Planetarium Lobby Circulation Lobby Loading Dock Exhibit I Focal Point Artifact New Stairs Dock Staging M W School Gathering / Events Entrance Lobby 2 storey space Ticketing Membership Lower Plaza Plaza Artifact Artifact Lawn Artifact Existing Collections Gift Shop Gift Shop Storage Focal Point Artifact
Scheme D – Second Floor Plan
Café Kitchen Café Dining Rm Catering Staging / Storage Outdoor Dining Dunavant Room / Dining Mansion Ballroom Mansion Lobby Mansion Exhibit Mansion Exhibit East Mezzanine Administration Collections Mansion Theatre Exhibit IV Exhibit III Exhibit II New Entry Mech. Mech. Open to Lobby below Open to belowScheme D – Third Floor Plan
Call Ctr Conf. Friends Exhibits Conf. Roof Roof Dressing RmGlass Box Expansion over new Lobby with light
Scheme E – First Floor Plan
Café Receiving & Prep Kitchen Club Room New Dumbwaiter Collections Catering Kitchen Exhibit Prep Planetarium Lobby Circulation Lobby Loading Dock Exhibit I New Stairs Dock Staging M W School Gathering / Events Entrance Lobby 2 storey space Ticketing Membership Lower Plaza Plaza Artifact Artifact Lawn Artifact Existing Collections Gift Shop Gift Shop Storage Focal Point Artifact
Scheme E – Second Floor Plan
Café Kitchen Café Dining Rm Catering Staging / Storage Outdoor Dining Dunavant Room / Dining New Elev & Stairs to Club Room Mansion Ballroom Mansion Lobby Mansion Exhibit Mansion Exhibit East Mansion Theatre Mezzanine Administration Collections Exhibit IV Exhibit III Exhibit II New Entry Mech. Mech. Open to Lobby below Open to belowScheme E – Third Floor Plan
Exhibit New Elev Storage Conf. Call Ctr Dressing Rm Friends Conf. Admin. Break Rm Roof Roof6.
Exhibit Space Recap
The total amount of exhibit area is of particular concern to any museum. As seen in the Exhibit Comparison Chart below, very little difference exists
between the four alternates if a value of .333 is placed on all public gathering /exhibit areas (non-restricted) as well as the exterior plaza areas. These areas would contain exhibits that are able to withstand close interaction with the general public. They also would be essential to the very important task of setting visitors’ expectations for a compelling museum experience. They will also further the Museum’s interpretive goals.
Looked at another way, it is essential to have confidence that the chosen plan has ample exhibit space to tell the stories the museum wants to tell. The
museum’s professional staff believes that all the alternatives have enough exhibit space to do that.
Exhibit Comparison Chart Master Plan Programming Phase
Alternate Exhibit Areas Square Feet
B C D E
Exhibit Area – Restricted 39,925 40,259 34,197 34,197 Exhibit Area - Non Restricted @ .333 2,149 2,521 3,831 3,831 Exhibit Area Exterior - Main entry hall 500 600 3,600 3,600 Grand Total 42,574 43,380 41,628 41,628
Non Restricted & Exterior Exhibit Area = 1/3 of
actual area
7. Conclusions
Based on the comparison of key issues met, cost, and total exhibit space the obvious conclusion is that Alternate B is the weakest of the four alternates and would resolve only a few of the goals/objectives outlined in this report.
Alternate C, the most expensive of the four, is a much better solution than Alternate B but still falls short of optimum especially since the main entry is still located on the east side of the museum. With few exceptions, Alternate D or E is clearly the best of the four alternates and finally resolves several key issues:
• An easily identified Main Entry hall visible from Central Avenue, a main road
• All collection areas now contiguous with back of the house access
• A dedicated loading dock for the temporary exhibit area with appropriate floor load capability
• Permanent exhibits will be contiguous (same floor)
• A new dining area with outdoor seating
• The upper level of the mansion must be accessible during events
• The lowest cost of construction
An improvement to Alternate E would be to add the elevator/ stair on the east side of mansion along with the layout suggested for the upper level of the mansion. This new Alternate E would be approximately $269,990 more
expensive than Alternate D (see cost estimates below) but its impact would be great by allowing visitors to easily access the Club room by stairway on the lower level and the upper floor and rotunda of the mansion, both of which are currently inaccessible or accessible only with difficulty from the mansion main floor.
Clearly Alternate E is the optimum choice for further study in the next phase of this Master Plan but by developing the four alternates, we have explored many ‘what-if’ scenarios and the design team should be sure that all good ideas evidenced in each of these alternates finds its way, whenever possible, into the final scheme.
