Attendees at the American Alliance of Museum’s conference in Seattle next week are invited to attend a talk with Forrec’s Matt Dawson on “Going Over to the Dark Side.” The presentation will examine how museums can create compelling and memorable visitor experiences. The session will be held Monday, May 19th, 3:15pm at MuseumExpo.
Presentation Overview
What’s a firm known for its theme park work doing designing museums and science centers? As one of Forrec’s museum clients said to them recently: “We knew in hiring Forrec we were going over to the dark side, but we did that on purpose.” What did they mean? Attendees to this session will hear more about ‘the dark side,’ and share ideas and perspectives on creating compelling and memorable visitor experiences.
Forrec believes that fresh insights into what makes for a great museum visitor experience can be gained by upending museum conventions, and instead seeing things from an outsider (or ‘the dark side’) perspective. The presentation will present ten chapters, with illustrated museum project examples, of what thinking ‘from the dark side’ really means.
Presenter’s Bio
Matt Dawson, Forrec Ltd.,Director, Museums and Science Centres
Matt Dawson joined Forrec in 2012 to lead the firm’s efforts in the museum and science centre sector. Since earning a Master of Architecture degree from Princeton University, Matt has worked in the museum field as a designer, as a consultant, and as a senior museum manager. For five years leading up to joining Forrec, Matt worked in senior museum positions in a succession of three major museum projects; the opening of the new Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, the opening of the new Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix and the expansion of the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. Earlier in his career Matt worked for six years at the global museum planning practice of Lord Cultural Resources, working with prestigious clients such as the Guggenheim, the Princeton University Art Museum, the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi.
