There are a few books that every person interested in museums should own.
- Starting Right: A Basic Guide to Museum Planning — Gerald W. George and Carol Maryan-George, 3rd edition, 2012. Very easy to read and a great overview of museums, although a little dated.
- Museum Basics — Timothy Ambrose and Crispin Paine, 3rd edition, 2012. More in-depth than Starting Right, and more focused on exhibitions than on strategy and museum culture.
- Identity and the Museum Visitor Experience — John H. Falk, 2009. Falk is “the” researcher of the museum visitor experience; required reading for creating visitor-centered experiences.
- Civilizing the Museum: The Collected Writings of Elaine Heumann Gurian — 2006. I love this book! A must read. Out of print, but available for Kindle.
Two more I keep nearby
- Janson's History of Art: The Western Tradition — H. W. Janson, 8th edition, 2016. Janson is “the” professor of art history, and this is the standard text, in print since 1962: an overview of all of art history.
- McMaster-Carr Catalog — not a book, a catalog. McMaster-Carr is “the” industrial supplier; I've always found what I needed in it.
Start a Conversation
Every museum begins with a conversation.
Founders, directors, boards, and students: tell me where you are and what you're trying to build.