Triangle

Event title

  • Creating Authentic and Unique Museum Experiences

Location

  • London

Date

  • Tuesday 10 June 2025

Event facilitator

  • Mike Sarna
  • Mike has worked in museums for over 25 years from small to large — including eight years as Director of Collections and Senior Curator at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, and six years as Head of Interpretation and Design at the Natural History Museum in London.
  • Between 2012–2018, Mike served as Director, Collections and Public Engagement, at Royal Museums Greenwich where he led the development of the public offer across four museums and the care and conservation of the collection. This included leading their £25 million Endeavour Project with the opening of four new permanent galleries.

Event details

Participants will explore how museums should look to their unique assets to challenge the way their public offer is delivered.

Museums have benefited from formalising their public offers and mitigating risk through business perspectives and approaches. But popularity has come with a price.

Some museums have lost their uniqueness and authenticity. Sameness has crept into the public offer.

While this can be popular, it does not create the most transformative of experiences. As times change, so do audience motivations and needs.

At this event, participants will discover why there is no better time to push for more inspirational and enriching experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to rethink their work and leave the event with the ideas they need to revitalise their museum’s public offer.

The event will be structured as follows to enable participants to make the most of the session:

  • Practical exercises will give participants the chance to engage in practice-based exercises that will help solidify their understanding of how to create authentic and unique experiences in their museum;
  • Case studies and real-world examples will offer participants the chance to gain inspiration and understanding from a variety of illustrative examples showcasing how museums have created a unique public offer;
  • Reflection and collaboration will be at the centre of activities and work in small, supportive groups to reflect on participants' contributions while harnessing the benefits deriving from open discussion and peer learning; and
  • Actionable next steps which will enable participants to leave the event with clear ideas to help them approach the creation of an authentic and unique public offer in their museum.

Further details about the event and registration can be accessed via Creating Authentic and Unique Museum Experiences.

Convened by Museum ID.