Smithsonian NMAAHC Programming Study Vol. 1

An association of Davis Brody Bond and The Freelon Group Architects

Lord Cultural Resources and Amaze Design

Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of African American History and Culture

VOLUME I

Preamble

Introduction Executive Summaries

SUBMITTED BY: FREELON BOND

January 30, 2009

Pre-Design: Master Facilities Programming

Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of African American History and Culture

VOLUME I

A Preamble

B Introduction

C Executive Summaries

VOLUME II

A Visitation Estimate

B Audience Research

C Public Engagement

D Collections Storage Plan

E General Museum Requirements

F Exhibition Master Plan

VOLUME III

A Existing Site Conditions

B Geotechnical Analysis

C Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic

D Site Analysis

VOLUME IV

A Facility Program

B Engineering Systems

C Sustainable Design

D Accessibility

E Security

F Cost Estimates

VOLUME V A Room Data Sheets

VOLUME VI Appendix

Preamble

Introduction 01 Process 02 Overarching Conclusions 03 Core Statements

C Executive Summaries

01 Visitation Estimate

Exhibition Master Plan

Public Engagement

Audience Research

General Museum Requirements

Site Analysis

Facility Program

A Preamble

Preamble

In many ways, there are few things as powerful and as important as a people, as a nation that is steeped in its history. Often America is celebrated as a place that forgets. This Museum seeks to help all Americans remember, and by remembering, this institution will stimulate a dialogue about race and help to foster a spirit of reconciliation and healing.

There are four pillars upon which this Museum will stand. The first is to create an opportunity for those that care about or who are interested in African American culture to explore and revel in this history. We will utilize wonderfully interactive exhibitions that are ripe with the best new technologies — but we will never lose the voices and the memories of the people who lived the history. In these exhibitions and presentations the visitors can explore the world, the pain and the resiliency of the enslaved; tap their toes to the music of Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, and LL Cool J; appreciate the individual heroism and the collective creativity that was the Civil Rights Movement; celebrate African American cultural expressions like art, dance, theatre; understand what was lost and what was gained as millions of African Americans left the south in the Great Migrations of the World Wars; examine scientific and technological inventiveness; and reflect upon the impact of African Americans on athletics, religion, and urban life. And these are just a few of the riches of African American culture that this Museum will make accessible to the millions who visit the Smithsonian Institution.

Equally important is the opportunity to help all Americans see just how central African American history is for all of us. This is not a museum that celebrates black history solely for black Americans. Rather we see this history as America’s history. NMAAHC will use African American history and culture as a lens into what it means to be an American. When I think about many American values like resiliency, optimism, and spirituality, there are few places where one can better understand their origin and evolution than through African American history and culture. If one wants to explore the changing definitions of American citizenship, liberty, and equality, where better than through the black experience?

Additionally, NMAAHC will use African American culture as a means to help all Americans see how their stories, their histories, and their cultures are shaped and informed by international considerations. While the primary focus of the Museum is on the African American experience, it is impossible to tell that story without understanding our role in a global society. Thus, the African Diaspora will have an important place in this Museum. I would love to see an exhibition that explores the intersection of race and urbanization in Lagos, Liverpool, and Los Angeles.

And finally, as a 21st century institution, NMAAHC must be a place of collaboration. We must be a truly national museum that reaches beyond Washington to engage new audiences and to collaborate with the myriad of museums and educational institutions that have explored and preserved this important history well before this Museum was created. Collaboration is one of the core values of this Museum.

Ultimately, the National Museum of African American History and Culture should be a place of meaning, of memory, of reflection, of laughter, and of hope. It should be a beacon that reminds us of what we were; what challenges we still face; and point us towards what we can become.

- Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III, Director

B Introduction

In October 2007, the Smithsonian Institution (SI) engaged the Freelon Bond team to provide Pre-design and Programming services for the new National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Working in association with Lord Cultural Resources, Amaze Design, and other engineering and specialty consultants, the planning team produced this Pre-design and Programming document. Through a dynamic, comprehensive process, the team completed an extensive work plan including the following:

Exhibition master plan workshops with the NMAAHC staff that explored the core statements,

• stories, and themes of the Museum and strategies that will provide a dynamic visitor experience.

• cross section of potential visitors and contributors to the Museum.

Eight public meetings in cities across the country where we solicited input and ideas from a broad

•

Audience research and market analysis to understand the public’s attitudes and perceptions.

• to identify space and functional requirements to maximize the effectiveness of the Museum.

Collections storage planning and the development of general museum requirements, essential tools

Collaborative meetings with the Smithsonian Institution and the NMAAHC staff where technical

• requirements and guidelines related to environmental systems, sustainable design, accessibility, and security were devised and documented.

Extensive analysis of the site, building requirements, and capital costs. The facility program calls

• for a museum totaling 350,000 external gross square feet, approximately 313,000 of which will be built on site. These space requirements were compared with and balanced against the anticipated budget which included an accounting of all development costs and a preliminary estimate of construction costs. The total project budget, soft and hard costs, is $500,000,000. The NMAAHC, as defined in this document, can be built within the project budget.

Overarching Conclusion

The overarching conclusion of this study is that the National Museum of African American History and Culture will be a national museum like no other. It will present quintessentially American stories of courage, creativity, resiliency, and the struggle for freedom and equality through the lens of the African American experience — at once moving visitors to tears and transporting them with laughter and song — and above all, stimulating thought and reflection. As a national museum, the NMAAHC will present the immense sweep of African American contributions to the advancement of America.

This is a transformational institution that will forever change the very idea of a national museum because it tells the American story from the African American perspective. It will attract new audiences to the Smithsonian Institution and to the nation’s capital – especially African Americans and People of Color who are currently under-represented at both. It will engage local and regional residents as well as tourists.

One of the most compelling aspects of the NMAAHC is its site — a link between the great monuments of American history including the future Washington, DC, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, and the great museums of American civilization. The site along the National Mall serves as a reminder that understanding the African American experience is central to understanding American history.

The NMAAHC will, by its very existence, become a pilgrimage site for those wishing to commemorate and celebrate the lives and contributions of those of African descent. Its exhibitions will not only look to the past, they will cast America in a new light, providing new perspectives on such founding principles as liberty and equality. In so doing, they will encourage visitors to see themselves as participants in shaping an everevolving American democracy.

Core Statements

The inspiring statement of intent written by Founding Director Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III that opens this document has been and continues to be the guiding principle for the programming phase of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

As the pre-design team progressed into developing the exhibition master plan, specifying museum requirements and facility planning, it became apparent that Core Statements were needed to anchor planning and measure progress. A series of workshop sessions was held among principals from the Freelon Bond team, the NMAAHC, and Smithsonian Institution leadership to discuss the use and value of mission, mandate, and vision statements.

MISSION

The Mission Statement describes the reason for the existence of the Museum:

To share the culture of African Americans, their ongoing struggles for freedom and equality, and their economic role in building the country that has shaped America’s history, identity and democratic ideals.

MANDATE

The Mandate defines the scope of the Museum’s geographical and chronological parameters, specialization, and institutional relations:

The National Museum is dedicated to preserving, collecting, studying and displaying the history and culture of African Americans: their role in American life and as part of a global African Diaspora. We collaborate within the Smithsonian Institution and with the myriad of museums and educational institutions that explore and preserve African American history and culture.

VISION

The Vision Statement is a concise description of the impact that the Museum will have upon the world: To transform the understanding of American history and culture by experiencing it through the stories and creativity of African Americans:

To be a place of meaning, of memory, of reflection, of laughter, and of hope. To help people adapt to the

changing definitions of American citizenship, liberty and equality.

To help all Americans understand the importance of race and its meaning in a changing America. To be

a place of memory, of reflection, of laughter and of hope.

To transform the understanding of American history and culture by experiencing it through the stories

and creativity of African Americans.

C

Executive Summaries

A brief summary of the major components of the Pre-design and Programming Document

Visitation Estimate

Understanding how many people will visit the NMAAHC and when they will visit is fundamental to planning the building, exhibitions, and operations. The extensive research and analysis conducted in this pre-design study is reported in detail in Volume II of this report. The key findings are:

• million to 3 million visitors.

The NMAAHC will be one of the most popular museums in America with an attendance of 2.5

• visitors, will be excited to learn their stories will be told on the National Mall.

African Americans, about one million of whom are expected to be first-time Smithsonian Institution

• and around the world, will come to the Museum as will people who are inspired to consider American history through the African American experience.

Visitors of all ages and races living in the region, along the Eastern seaboard, across the country,

The Market for the NMAAHC

The NMAAHC will draw from a pool of over five million residents and 37 million tourists in the DC Metro area. The market for the NMAAHC was examined from three perspectives: the core audience, traditional museum-goers, and a “breakthrough” group. The Museum’s core audience will be comprised of highlyeducated African Americans from the local area and tourists living outside of the District. It is this audience in particular that will make purposeful trips to experience historical content of personal relevance. Traditional museum-goers, typically highly-educated, middle-aged and Caucasian, are those residents and tourists who regularly seek cultural experiences.

The NMAAHC’s breakthrough group is made up of individuals not otherwise targeted on the National Mall – mixed race individuals; people with strong ties to the African American community such as multi-racial families; and People of Color, defined here as individuals of non-European descent.

Visitation Estimate Based on Demand

Assessing visitor demand requires analysis that focuses on the demographics of potential visitors in conjunction with the likely appeal of the Museum’s mission, content, and experience. The research points to some key areas of this Museum’s broad appeal – telling the truth, relevance to today and the future, focus on individual stories, and the power of African American art and culture, especially music. Three methods of analysis were used to project demand: appraisal, ratios, and penetration analysis.

The appraisal method was used to compare attendance levels at these institutions:

Museums worldwide with over one million annual visitors; •

Museums in tourist markets similar to that of Washington, DC; •

Mid-size Smithsonian Institution museums; and •

“Model” and neighboring institutions. •

Ratios were used to examine characteristics of the museums described above in relation to city population, tourism, and visitation to the National Mall. Finally, a penetration analysis examined the proportion of residents, DC tourists, and school groups that are likely to attend the Museum. In all, over fifty institutions were studied to inform the visitation demand for the NMAAHC. The analysis produced two stories: a conservative estimate of 1.7 million and an aggressive estimate of 2.6 million people in a steady state year, with 3 million at opening. A number of positive factors indicate that the NMAAHC is likely to realize the aggressive estimate. Among these factors are:

•

Exceptionally compelling and unique exhibitions and programming;

Location on the National Mall; proximity to the Washington Monument and the future Washington, • DC, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial;

A large highly-educated, African American resident population;

An increasingly diverse national population, with greater proportions of mixed race persons and

transracial households;

Rising attendance at other Smithsonian Institution museums;

A commitment to providing much needed amenities on the National Mall; and

A heightened national interest in African American culture.

The NMAAHC is expected to attract three million visitors in its opening year, 2015. By Year Three, the Museum is expected to reach a “steady state” of 2.5 million visitors. In Year Five, attendance is expected to grow slightly to 2.55 million visitors as new programming and a more mature collection builds audience. These patterns are typical for new institutions and have been informed by the experience of the model institutions.

The researchers concluded that the NMAAHC’s audience will be comprised of 35% local residents, 45% tourists, and 20% school groups. The NMAAHC’s diverse audience of African Americans, People of Color, mixed race, and transracial individuals will attract new visitors to the National Mall. Compared to the average Smithsonian Institution museum, which sees less than 10% African American attendance, it is expected that African Americans will comprise between 25-30% of the NMAAHC total attendance.

Seasonal, monthly, and daily attendance is likely to reflect the trends of Smithsonian Institution museums overall. The NMAAHC will experience the heaviest attendance during Spring and Summer, with April and July projected to be the busiest months. Saturday will likely be the most popular day, averaging more than 12,000 visitors. It will draw nearly one-quarter of the annual museum goers.

Meeting demand and creating a positive visitor experience given this aggressive attendance estimate is dependent on three factors:

The delivery of a dynamic, engaging and interdisciplinary program that attracts the full range of 1. audiences;

An inviting building and exhibit design that maximizes public space and is free of bottlenecks; and 2.

A proactive operational approach that effectively manages crowds and engages with the public to 3. be welcoming and helpful.

Exhibition Master Plan

The promise of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is that it will provide a full and truthful account of American history and culture, including the elements of pain, inspiration, and achievement that characterize the sweep of the African American experience. This promise is a brightly lit torch that will illuminate places too long kept dark. It will shine brightly on the resilience of African Americans, who, as much as European ancestors, have forged the identity and character of America. The recognition that this shared identity is what binds Americans together will foster appreciation for African Americans’ immense contributions to this nation’s history and culture, and it will encourage dialogue about how these contributions are relevant to contemporary conversations about freedom, race, and national identity.

The exhibition master plan integrates the insights gleaned from audience research, public consultation, and facilities planning into an exhibit experience aimed at transformation. With deliberate intention, the exhibitions will welcome all visitors so that they may see their role in the ongoing conversation about the evolving definitions of identity, freedom and equality. It is expected that the exhibitions will in part attract a new audience: those visitors who are not presently going to Smithsonian Institution museums. For these new visitors and especially for visitors with children, the exhibitions will provide experiences that are unique yet accessible, authentic yet unexpected, and instructive yet engaging.

As a national museum, the NMAAHC will present the immense sweep of African American contributions to the advancement of America from African antecedents to modern day. In no other place will this sweep be so comprehensively represented. However, this Museum will not be about the broad brushstrokes alone. In order to humanize and ground this history and culture, the NMAAHC will tap national resources to uncover the intimate personal stories that bring this history to life.

The exhibits are conceived to help transform visitors’ understanding of American history and culture, and to help visitors adapt to and participate in changing definitions of American citizenship, liberty and equality. The exhibitions employ a range of interpretive and experiential strategies. Reflection zones allow visitors to process powerful museum experiences and transition between topics. Call and Response zones allow gathering and dialogue around topics, and Lenses look at historical events from the perspectives of artists, writers, speakers, etc.

These strategies are organized thematically into nine topic-based galleries that are supplemented by a Youth Gallery and a Changing Gallery. The first visitor experience will occur outside, where visitors will be made to feel comfortable and will be figuratively or literally ushered inside. Once inside, visitors will encounter the large Central Hall. This hall will welcome them, create a sense of awe, and introduce them to history and the main themes of the Museum. While this space will be a gathering place for Museum functions in off hours, it is primarily a place where visitors will experience a sense of belonging and come to understand that this story has something to do with them. Using large-scale objects and media, it will generate excitement for the experiences to come and provide views to the galleries themselves.

From the Central Hall, visitors will have direct access to the first of three galleries presenting an overview of African American history. Through dynamic timelines, powerful presentations of America’s founding documents juxtaposed with the realities of African American life, and a range of personal stories and original artifacts and art, the galleries will illustrate that the birth and development of freedom gained its coherence only in relation to the practice and development of slavery. The Slavery and Freedom Gallery will illustrate the inextricable link between American freedom and American enslavement, up to the period of Reconstruction. The Segregation Gallery will focus on the period from post-Reconstruction through the aftermath of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, with a closer look at the various permutations of tragic violence fundamental to segregation. 1968 and Beyond Gallery will continue the historical chronology to the present and ask visitors to think about how their lives are affected by the African American struggle for freedom and how it might inspire them to action.

Also accessed directly from the Central Hall, the large Musical Crossroads Gallery will be an exciting, dynamic exploration and celebration of African American music. Part show, part interactive, and part exhibit, the Musical Crossroads Gallery will explore music’s pivotal and exciting role in freedom struggles, from the plantation to Civil Rights marches to the dance floor and recording studio to the airwaves, in a way that will have all visitors tuning in and even dancing.

Located next to Musical Crossroads, The Cultural Traditions Gallery will focus on the contributions of African Americans to music, the visual arts, entertainment, oratory, craft and material culture, fashion, and the intellectual arts such as literature, playwriting, science, philosophy, and the broader humanities. Its display of the diversity of expression serves as an introduction to two galleries that take a more in depth look at the important cultural and historical arenas of Sports and Visual Arts. The Sports Gallery will celebrate how African Americans have changed American sports, and explore the role sports has played in helping people survive and change life in America. The Visual Arts Gallery will display a portion of the NMAAHC’s permanent collection of visual art. It will also provide a changing space for painting, sculpture, and works on paper including photography. Located nearby, the Smithsonian Institution’s new Center for African American Media Arts will present a rotating display of imagery from the museum’s one-of-a-kind photography and visual media collection, and will provide visitors with the means to explore the collection digitally.

In order to interpret the range of African American experiences in the country, the Museum will create a gallery called the Power of Place in which detailed vignettes immerse visitors in roughly nine to ten different places and times. For many visitors, these scenes will evoke vivid memories that are sure to generate conversation. Connected to this gallery is Make a Way Somehow, a gallery that will focus on the creation and use of formal and informal African American institutions and social organizations that sustained the Black community and function as tools in the struggle for equality.

The NMAAHC believes that children and their families represent an underserved population in history museums in particular and in varying degrees at other Smithsonian Institution museums. The Youth Gallery will accommodate children of all ages, and can be used as a program space or a self-guided exhibit by families or individuals. It will interpret the same major themes as the rest of the Museum, but in a way that engages young audiences, asking them to think about who they are and the difference they can make. The impact of their museum experience should resonate with them well after their visit is over.

Public Engagement

The purpose of the public engagement process during the pre-design phase was to reach out to potential NMAAHC audiences in cities across the country and to learn about their expectations of the new Museum including their attitudes and interests related to content, themes, partnerships, and collaborations.

The NMAAHC is committed to a process of continuous dialogue with its audiences, and this has been a far-reaching first step. In meetings with the NMAAHC staff; SI Office of Facilities, Engineering, and Operations; and the Office of Contracting, the team developed the following desired outcomes for the public engagement process:

• Content, story lines, and themes o Partnerships, collaborations, activities, and programs o Collections o

•

Understand the expectations of the public for the NMAAHC

Communicate the NMAAHC vision to the public

Raise the visibility of the Museum

Establish a framework for managing public expectations

Reach a range of both rural and urban Americans

Integrate findings into the Museum’s plans and development strategy

The team also defined five primary stakeholders for this phase of the public engagement process. Those stakeholders are:

Advocates — those representing groups of particular importance to the NMAAHC. These include • educators, people with disabilities, African American economic and political groups, and those addressing the concerns of rural African Americans. Two larger groups—children and youth, and college-aged individuals—were also identified.

• officials, Federal agency, and entity representatives.

Government — elected and appointed officials at city, county, and state levels, Congressional

• social and cultural communities that have large spheres of outreach and influence.

Networkers and Opinion Leaders — representatives of religious and faith communities as well as

• of this group is those representing international concerns including the people of the African Diaspora and new Americans.

Professional experts—historians, sociologists, artist and collectors, and museologists. An outgrowth

The Freelon Bond team proposed a series of strategic meetings in conjunction with annual gatherings and conferences aimed at reaching the stakeholders important to the development of the NMAAHC. The resulting outreach included partnering with government associations, museum and historical professional organizations, and one of the largest cultural festivals in the country.

As shown on the map below, a geographically diverse group of people participated in brief and extended conversations with the NMAAHC leadership and key members of the Freelon Bond Team to identify the most important effect the Museum should have on its public.

Location

of NMAAHC Public Engagement Meetings

March – October

Key Findings

Each meeting commenced with the showing of the introductory film narrated by Ruby Dee and an inspiring presentation by Founding Director Lonnie Bunch followed by group discussions focused on the following three questions:

What would you expect to see in a national museum of African American history and culture?

What are the stories that must be told?

How would you see the Museum addressing “difficult subjects”?

The transcripts, videotapes, and the observations and comments from the Freelon Bond facilitators who attended the sessions revealed the following themes:

Be Inclusive, Engaging and Relevant. The NMAAHC must be inclusive in its representation and presentation of the African American experience and engage visitors in expected and unexpected ways. African American visitors must be able to relate to the Museum’s exhibition and programs by seeing themselves, their experiences, and their family histories in the Museum. Non-African American visitors must be able to see commonalities of experience while examining the story of America through the lens of African American history and culture. The impact of their experience should resonate with them well after their visit is over.

The Museum should explore ways to broaden its reach through strategic partnerships and relationships with diverse constituencies, as well as collaborations with traditional and non-traditional local, national, and international partners. The Museum should find opportunities to set new precedents, be experimental, and cutting edge in its delivery of content and programs and the use of new technology. In addition to issues affecting African Americans, the Museum should also strive to be a leader in the field, working with other African American and ethnic museums on issues relevant to the field.

Tell the Truth. The Museum must present history in its real context and “voice,” including the past and contemporary experiences of African Americans. The untold stories of the African American experience are key to telling a comprehensive history. In its relationship with stakeholders and partners, the Museum should be mindful and avoid compromises by “watering down” sensitive subjects that might be controversial or edgy. The Museum should be viewed as an authentic trustworthy voice in the African American community and beyond.

Think Globally. In all it does, the Museum should reflect a global and international approach. The African American experience has and continues to influence (and be influenced by) others around the world. As the world begins to embrace a more unified way of functioning, modern day globalization encompasses the economy, technology, social and cultural experiences, and politics. This means that there will be strong potential entry points for visitors of all backgrounds, though the connections identified in the meetings were, naturally, much stronger among African Americans.

Issues Are Important. The Museum should be a place where issues relevant to the African American experience are discussed, debated, researched, and explored. The Museum should be a leader and convener

of public forums (at the Museum and on-line) to discuss contemporary issues as they arise and to explore issues affecting African Americans historically.

Celebrate and Memorialize. The Museum should be a place that celebrates and memorializes the past while empowering generations to look to and plan for a better future. A contemplative space should be planned to remember ancestors and reflect on the stories told in the Museum. Visitors should leave the Museum with a sense of their own place in stories that will be told about the African American and American experience in the future.

Audience Research

In Spring 2008 a comprehensive visitor study was conducted documenting audience perceptions toward, and interests in, a national museum of African American history and culture. The survey included a broad range of existing cultural participants, among them: visitors to four museums on the National Mall and African American related exhibits and events in the Washington, DC area, including the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture and the Great Blacks in Wax Museum, both in Baltimore, MD. The key questions addressed in the study were:

How do visitors make choices on the National Mall about where to visit? •

How do various audiences perceive African American history and culture, and what is their

relationship to it?

What knowledge and interest do audiences have in topics related to African American history • and culture?

How interested are audiences in visiting the NMAAHC?

The most significant findings of the Audience Research included:

Most of those interviewed found personal connections to African American history and culture. • For African Americans, the connection was mainly the Civil Rights Movement, injustices, and racism – often relaying a personal or family experience connected to these issues. Non-African Americans who expressed connection, related to African American culture, especially music.

A broad range of audiences (including African-American, White/Caucasian, Latino, Asian, • Native American, and mixed ethnicity) demonstrated a moderate to high level of interest in visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). African American audiences were significantly more likely to be interested in visiting the NMAAHC than other groups. It is likely that African Americans will serve as the core, most committed audience of the NMAAHC, with other racial/ethnic groups demonstrating enough interest in the Museum and its likely featured topics and themes to build upon.

The most common associations with African American history and culture among non-African Americans included the broad, most “mainstream” topics, such as slavery, the slave trade, Civil Rights Movement, famous individuals (e.g., Martin Luther King, Jr, Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman), and music/ entertainment. African Americans were more likely than other groups to focus on the contributions and successes of African Americans, struggles and injustices, lesser known individuals and events of history, and positive attributes of African American culture, which indicates a more sophisticated and nuanced interest. Americans, in particular, desire to move beyond the “obvious” aspects and well-known individuals in African American history, and to emphasize the positive while not ignoring the more difficult issues of injustice and discrimination.

When asked what would make them feel welcome and comfortable, there was some indication that the Museum needs to convey a balanced view, including multiple sides and perspectives; embed African American history within broader American history; make connections to other racial/ethnic groups; and include uncomfortable and controversial issues (but be sensitive that some visitors are not open to addressing those issues). African Americans expressed a desire for the Museum to convey “the whole story” — that is, to present what is perceived as an honest, accurate, truthful portrayal of African American history and culture. Some suggested this could be accomplished by presenting content from an African American perspective (“in their own voice”), and to avoid including too much of a “white” perspective.

Visitation to the NMAAHC will likely spill over from the National American History Museum, nearby monuments and memorials, the White House, and the National Museum of African Art. While it is encouraging that such strong interest was communicated by African American audiences, the Museum will need to find ways to forge strong connections to general audiences.

Across the board, respondents felt they had higher levels of interest in topics related to African American history and culture than actual knowledge of those topics. This is a very positive result for any educational institution, as it suggests that audiences will be motivated to come to the Museum in order to learn more about topics in which they are already interested.

General Museum Requirements

The General Museum Requirements (GMR) outlines policies and activities of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) related to three main areas: curation and collections; public activities and programs; and organizational structure and staffing needs. These plans and policies will provide parameters to determine the amount and type of space that will be required and will serve as the primary set of standards by which the facility’s design, construction, and operating performance will be evaluated.

Information on curation and collections includes the Museum’s mission and goals, its stated curatorial objectives, the Smithsonian Institution’s collection management policies, and anticipated growth rates of the NMAAHC’s collections. The overview of public activities and programs includes the Museum’s programming principles and plans for different groups and purposes (such as education and youth visitors, exhibitions and general audiences, and performance programming). Information on organizational structure and staffing needs includes the Museum’s current organizational chart and projected staffing needs.

The GMR concludes with recommendations for managing collections space, size and adjacency of museum space, and meeting space requirements for museum functions and staff.

General Museum Requirements

Museum operations will require an initial staff allocation of 165 positions, growing to a total of 175

in the future.

The Museum plans to acquire collections through gifts and bequests, purchases (through its

• acquisitions budget or with the assistance of the Collections Acquisition Program), exchanges with other museums or educational institutions, transfers from other Smithsonian Institution museums or bureaus, and through projects sponsored by the Museum.

While some overlap among SI Museum collections is expected, competition among museums is • inappropriate. When more than one museum expresses an interest in a collection, the directors of the respective museums must agree upon who will acquire the collection based on each museum’s collection plans, research, exhibitions, and publications, and its relevancy to the material; and the museum’s ability to store, preserve, and protect the collection according to Smithsonian Institution standards.

• for research and educational purposes. The Museum will also make the collection accessible through its Web site and through temporary exhibitions in other museums.

The public will have limited access to collection items that are in storage. Access will be primarily

The NMAAHC will offer outgoing loans of artifacts and other material for exhibition, research, or

• other educational (or non-profit) purposes to other museums and appropriate facilities that agree to provide care and security in compliance with Smithsonian Institution standards.

Collection Storage Plan

Collections will have regional representations of the African American experience from across • the United States. Artifacts and artwork that reflect the historical and cultural links of African Americans to the African Diaspora, such as in the Caribbean, Latin American, and Canada, will also be collected for use in exhibitions and for research purposes.

• Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Civil Rights Movement.

Collections will cover a range of historical periods, including the era of enslavement, the period of

• the African Diaspora in the Americas, religion and spirituality, and work.

Five themes will guide initial collection efforts: creativity, family and community life, migration and

Two overarching narratives—migration and identity—will further focus and unify the collection as it • matures.

The Museum will actively collaborate on collecting activities with other museums.

In order to maximize the public functions of the Museum and efficiently utilize the buildable area of

the site exhibit storage will be required off site and on site.

Off-site storage will require special attention to the coordination and transportation of materials

between sites, the integration of staff experience on-site and off-site, and the protection of collection items from theft and damage.

Source:

Site Analysis

The site, located within the National Mall and adjacent to the Washington Monument Grounds, totals approximately five acres. The Existing Site Conditions Report describes the NMAAHC site and its context. It includes Regional and Vicinity Maps illustrating the site location in relationship to major transportation facilities, natural features, and prominent landmarks. The Site History provides an overview of urban planning and development plus a history of African Americans in the District of Columbia.

The context of the site is described in two sections: an Urban Design Context and an Architectural Context. The Urban Design Context contains information regarding land use, zoning and neighboring historic districts. The Architectural Context includes descriptions of adjacent facilities. A description of the site is presented through a series of site diagrams illustrating topography, landscape, and the location of utilities. A second series of diagrams presents site issues related to access including parking, public transportation, pedestrian circulation, and vehicular and service access. This portion of the document also includes the Geotechnical Analysis, Vehicular and Pedestrian Traffic Analysis, and a thorough investigation of site issues including landscape and utility considerations.

The unique nature of the NMAAHC site is rooted in its history. Bound by Constitution Avenue—once the Tiber Creek and later modified into the Washington City Canal, a vital point of entry for the supply of goods to the new Capital city —14th Street, 15th Street, and Madison Drive, the site will form the western edge of the row of museums along the National Mall. Today, the environmental legacy of the canal is evident as periodic flooding and subsurface conditions remain a concern and present specific construction challenges, which are reflected in the Cost Estimate.

Many of the existing Smithsonian Institution museums are centered on a rectangular site, set back from each of the surrounding streets. However, the NMAAHC site serves as a “hinge” between the powerful east-west axis of the National Mall and the north-south axis formed by the White House, Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial. Indeed, this is the underlying premise of the L’Enfant Plan with two prominent axes forming long vistas.

The development of the site surrounding the new Museum building will allow for an integrated visitor experience that extends the presence of the Museum into the landscape. The forecourt or plaza adjacent to the main entrance will be part of an interior/exterior “threshold experience” and will play an important role in managing the high number of visitors expected at the Museum.

Facility Program

The Facility Program is the document that catalogs each space inside and outside of the proposed new NMAAHC building. An index of every space, its size, function and critical adjacencies was developed along with a series of diagrams illustrating the relationships between spaces and groups of spaces. Room Data Sheets, which provide additional detail regarding the specific requirements of each individual space, were also generated.

The building design process is expected to utilize this document as a tool for understanding the Museum’s needs and as a checklist to insure all program components and their functional requirements are accounted for in the design. However, it is likely that the building design process will also lead to interpretations and modifications of this program. Any suggested changes must be evaluated for their impact on the stated goals of the Museum, the function, cost, and size of the building.

The site totals approximately five acres with 74,000 to 90,000 external gross square feet available as a buildable footprint. A building of 313,000 external gross square feet with four floors above grade and one below is anticipated. A significant portion of the building – sixty-one percent - will be dedicated to public space.

An Improvisation Space

The African American community is a living culture that continues to thrive and foster new contributions to the broader American and global milieu. Therefore, a portion of the new Museum has been left unprogrammed and undefined so that the Museum, its designers, and the African American community might envision future uses and programs. Up to five percent of the total assignable area in the Facility Program may be used in this manner to allow for diverse interpretations.

Accessibility

Accessibility will be a primary factor in the design of the Museum, which will adhere to the International Building Code (IBC), the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), plus the Smithsonian Institution’s own accessibility mandates.

Sustainable Design

The Smithsonian Institution is committed to the preservation and stewardship of our environment. Principles of sustainable design and resource efficiency will be integrated into the design, construction, and operation of the Museum building to support the mission and function of the facility.

As a base target for performance, the Museum will be certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s initiative for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and will be targeted for Gold certification or higher.

The Museum will be a place of learning, and its sustainable design presents an opportunity to support pedagogy through the function of the building itself. Where possible and congruent with the values of the Museum, sustainable design strategies — wherever they are applied in the building — will be incorporated in ways that support the specific content of the Museum and the exposition of African American history and culture.

Engineering Systems

The mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection report describes the systems that will provide the NMAAHC with the appropriate interior environment and services. These systems will exemplify the Smithsonian Institution’s commitment to the preservation of our environment while adhering to its building design guidelines.

The NMAAHC building will house both public and private spaces, and the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems are intended to provide the environmental conditions for the different program areas efficiently and effectively, ensuring that the NMAAHC will be able to borrow the highest quality art work from other institutions. In accordance with the Facility Program, there will be areas where the mechanical and electrical systems play an integral part in defining specific environments and/or exhibits.

All mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems will be designed to current international, national, state, and local codes and standards. In addition, SI has targeted the new Museum to achieve Gold Certification as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council. The systems described in Volume IV provide a solid foundation for the design engineer to achieve this goal.

Security

Preliminary Cost Estimate Introduction

The Security Design Criteria and the proposed security elements are informed by SI and Federal documentation. These security criteria have implications for the entire facility, site and facility layout, adjoining streets, vehicle and pedestrian access, and the construction of the facility.

Determining the probable cost of the NMAAHC has been broken out into three distinct components: a Cost Model/Budget, a Programmatic Estimate of Construction Costs, and a cost projection of Annual Facility Operating Expenses. In budgeting and estimating the various costs associated wit h building the new museum, there was a focus on balancing the anticipated available funding for the project with the desired quality level and the size of the projected new facility.

Cost Estimate

Determining the probable cost of the NMAAHC has been broken out into three distinct components: a Cost Model/Budget, a Programmatic Estimate of Construction Costs, and a cost projection of Annual

Facility Operating Expenses. In budgeting and estimating the various costs associated with building the new Museum, Freelon Bond focused on balancing the anticipated available funding for the project with the desired quality level and the size of the projected new facility.

It is assumed that the total project budget for the new NMAAHC will be $500 million. This includes both hard costs and soft costs. Hard costs are defined as all cost items related to the actual construction of the new museum. Soft costs refer to all other costs associated with bring the museum to fruition, such as fees, technical services, and other costs not related to construction.

The overall Budget for the Project is established at $500 million, including all soft and hard costs. The anticipated construction costs total approximately $330 million. The initial Cost Estimate indicates that the scope of the new NMAAHC as programmed can be built within the budget.

The Annual Facilities Operating Expense analysis for the Museum is based on a scheduled opening in 2015. Using data collected from SI, we have estimated operating costs within a +/-twenty-five percent

U:\Phil\Meg\Confidential\NMAAHC_Prelim_Cost_Est081908

Scope (Sq. Ft)

margin of error. These estimates, which exclude staff and program costs, can be applied to both a stabilized year of operation (Year 3, for example) and to the opening year (the period during which warranties would be applicable).

NMAAHC Pre-design and Programming Team

Owner

Smithsonian Institution

NMAAHC

Pre-design and Programming Team Leader

Freelon Bond

General Museum Requirements, Audience Research, Public Engagement, Collections Storage Plan

Lord Cultural Resources

Exhibit Planning

Amaze Design

Visitation Studies

Institute for Learning Innovation

Landscape Planning

Peter Walker & Partners

Structural Engineering

Robert Silman Associates

MEP Engineering

WSP Flack and Kurtz

Sustainable Design

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)

Civil Engineering

Delon Hampton & Associates

Traffic Studies

Gorove Slade

Geotechnical & Environmental Engineering

Froehling & Robertson, Inc.

IT/AV/Data Management/Telecommunications

Shen Milsom Wilke

Multimedia - Performance

Fisher Dachs Associates

Code/Fire Protection

Rolf Jensen and Associates

Accessibility

Access-Andrews Consulting

Vertical Transportation

Lerch Bates

Lighting

Fisher Marantz Stone

Estimating

Faithful + Gould

Security

Ducibella Venture & Santore

Document Editing

Kirsten Mullen