Wellington Museum Feasibility

Wellington Museum Feasibility

Hawkridge Entertainment Services and Frank Howarth & Associates were engaged by Museums Wellington to deliver the Wellington Museum feasibility study. The team determined if the proposed redevelopment project was feasible, and whether appropriate options had been considered. A series of questions were addressed all or in part, in the areas of Strategies and Objectives, Context, Community, Options, Pragmatics and Funding.

Our Response

The team initially undertook a strategic review to examine how major changes and disruptors are shaping the museum sector in general and in particular how Wellington Museum is responding to those changes. Factors reviewed included:

• Digitisation of museum collections including:
  – the demands for access to digital collections
  – A generation of audience that is fully digitally engaged, primarily through hand held devices
  – Changes in museum-based education to better combine the digital world with real objects and out-of-school learning excursions
• The significance of an Indigenous (for New Zealand, Maori) “world view”
• Trends in tourism, particularly the steep increase in Asian inbound and cruise-based tourism
• Demographic changes within New Zealand
• The role of innovation
• Changes of funding models to ones that require greater commercialisation
• A greater environmental awareness
• The reaction to digitisation which seeks “real” alongside the “virtual”
• Planning and Cultural place-making

The team then reviewed factors more closely related to the Museum itself and the project. Key issues were:

• Reflecting the past, present or future
• Views expressed about the Museum
• Reassuring, edgy or provocative strategy for programming
• Visitation KPI’s
• Community Engagement
• The role of Pacifica
• Waterfront Zone uncertainty
• The Museums Heritage building
• Café, Food & Beverage
• Retail
• Dispersed model of exhibition design.

How we help

Hawkridge Entertainment Services provides a range of services for organisations including strategic analysis, feasibility development and business case writing. We are experts in the development of cultural infrastructure. Some of our recent projects are:

• Roxy Theatre Parramatta Final Business Case
• Parramatta Riverside Theatres Business Case
• Business case for the Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre
• Operational review of the Paranaple Convention Centre

The team delivers successful outcomes by finding solutions to complex issues. We listen to stakeholders and complete tasks in the timeframes required.

Other similar projects completed by Hawkridge Entertainment Services are available here.