Are Museums on the look-out for more Interior Designers?

When reading design magazines and articles recently, one topic which I've found that has come up quite a lot is museums and how they lack outside designers. I love the idea of designing museums myself, although it's something I've never had the chance to do yet. It also reminded me that when I was researching interior design companies to apply for a placement to, I only came across one which designed museums.

Was this due to me only looking for places in the north of England due to travelling? Or is there a lack of interior designers for museums?

The first article I read was about The Natural History Museum which was published in the March 2015 issue of FX magazine and written by Pamela Buxton. Pamela interviews Nick Sainton-Clark (head of design at the Natural History Museum), who oversee's "40 people including a small design team of 3D, graphic and digital designers, as well as production services that encompass conservationists, mount makers, engineers, painters and joiners, AV and media specialists" - so quite a handful. The article also states how although they do get approached by design teams, they would like to be better at engaging new and interesting designers. At the moment the designs are created by both the in-house design team and outsider design companies which Nick says as they feed off each other the museum gets the best of both worlds. 

Is this the way forward in Museum designs? Or should they stick to their in-house design teams?

With exhibitions constantly changing throughout museums there must always be a designer needed. Are there a lack of specific design companies dealing with museums because of this constant change of design and layout and them having their own design teams constantly working away at their next in-house design? With Nick stating that they are "recruiting some design managing staff", I think that this could indeed be the answer as to why I have seen so little interior design companies just designing for museums.

Images of the Natural History Museum, London - sourced from here and here.

Images of the Imperial War Museum, London - sourced from here and here.

Another article I read, this time in the February 2015 issue of FX magazine, also written by Pamela Buxton, is all about the Imperial War Museum. Sarah Stallard is head of design at the museum - the first-ever! And Sarah also has an in-house design studio, "with 3D and graphic designers... dealing with everything from book design to spatial projects.". They have however worked with external designers and architects such as Foster + Partners who helped to design the new cafe and Drinkall Dean for the retail design and Holmes Wood for the wayfinding - something I find interesting when going to a museum. The way you are lead from one exhibition to the next and the reasons why it was put together this way always intrigues me whether it's a story through time and the development or a layout in which you can choose your own way around.

Sarah states how "it's quite a niche market and we're always looking for a new designer". This to me sounds like although they do have their own in-house team they are always looking for new ideas from designers outside of the museum. Just as in the article about the Natural History Museum they like to use both in house and other designers together to get the best out of a project or exhibition but do designers out there realise this?

I think after reading these two articles and seeing the similarities in the way they work with designers I can see how it's not as popular to see a lot of design companies just designing museums as it is to the ones designing bars/restaurants or workplaces. If most museums have their own in-house design team there probably isn't as much work out there for other designers. However I think if in both of these articles they have mentioned how they both often seek outside designers as museums are forever changing and developing with new ideas for designs with the new exhibitions, maybe more designers should dare to approach them.

Abigail