Feasibility in Action: Assessing a Potential Asian Pacific American Museum

ID: WMA2026_640

Track:

Go behind the scenes to learn about the efforts of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture. Hear more about the Commission’s process to create a comprehensive report examining the viability and long-term sustainability of a new national entity dedicated to contributions and impact of Asian and Pacific Americans in the United States and share your thoughts in a simulated visioning activity. 

Session Information

Format: Regular session/panel (roundtable, single speaker, etc.)

Uniqueness: The session will pair best practices for museum feasibility studies with a simulated visioning activity so that attendees can experience the engagement process.

Objectives:

1. Attendees will understand why responsible study of feasibility is fundamental for developing a clear vision to ensure the viability and longevity of any museum organization, particularly newly formed or growing entities. This step is especially critical in today’s environment of uncertainty. 
2. Attendees will be able to identify the typical components of studying feasibility, including issues of collections acquisition and management, marketability, organizational governance and structure, costs of facilities and operations, fundraising and development. The APA Commission will share the components of their process to study the feasibility of the potential National Museum of Asian and Pacific American History and Culture as they work to develop their comprehensive report. 
3. Attendees will experience through a live simulation activity how public feedback about visitor preference can be interpreted to inform a museum’s feasibility and vision. Echoing a real activity the APA Commission used during the development of their forthcoming comprehensive report, attendees will be asked three questions from national listening sessions, participate in a dot exercise to indicate preferences for various museum themes and priorities, and explore site criteria priorities.

Engagement: To enable a seamless transition to the simulated visioning activity, it would be best to organize the room with a series of round tables with a presentation screen and lectern at the front. Pin-up space around the room would also be beneficial to enable a dot exercise and report out of feedback at the end of the simulation. The presenters will bring supplies for the simulated exercises.

Relationship to Theme:

Audience

Audiences: Curators/Scientists/Historians Development and Membership Officers Events Planning Facilities Management Personnel Marketing & Communications (Including Social Media) Other Registrars, Collections Managers Technology 

Professional Level: All levels 

Scalability: The best practices presented will apply to museum of any scale and be a helpful background for any museum professional at all career levels who may at some point be involved in studying the feasibility of a significant change to a museum or creation of a new entity. All attendees will take home an understanding of how the visioning exercise answers essential questions to ensure any museum develops a coherent strategic direction for their organization.

Participants