Section 1: Designing for Play Section 2: What is an Exhibit Master Plan? Section 3: Budget Planning Section 4: Glossary of Exhibit Terms

Planning Your Exhibit Budget At the beginning stage in the complex process of museum planning, budget numbers can be only extremely preliminary estimates. Before numbers begin to reflect the reality of a new museum, the actual exhibit concepts must be defined and square footages allocated. A true budget can begin to be built only when considering the complexity of each exhibit and how large it is. However, there are rules of thumb that can be considered as a baseline: Fabrication: Fabrication of exhibits for children's museums generally ranges from $150 to $350 per square foot, depending on the complexity of the exhibit. In particular, mechanical and technological exhibitry costs come in at the high end of that spectrum. A large-scale water exhibit can be even more. These numbers are fabrication costs only, and average $250 per square foot. The fabrication budget includes production of graphics for the entire museum. Design and Design Development: Designers generally charge between 11% and 25% of the fabrication cost. This is then added to the per-square-foot fabrication cost. Generally, the larger the project, the lower the percentage the design fee is. For example, a designer given the entire museum to design may charge 15% of fabrication. Design firms brought in only to design specific exhibits may charge 25% of fabrication. Putting it into per-square-foot numbers, the average design fee can be estimated around $45 per square foot. Design development is generally charged at 4% of fabrication. Some designers hire developers; sometimes the museum hires the developer directly because the developer's role can often spill into other areas, such as programs. Development fee will be approximately $8 to $10 per square foot. Graphic Design: Graphic design will be needed to create the visual identity and visual vocabulary of the new museum. It would not be unreasonable for a graphic designer to charge 1.5% of the fabrication fee. This would provide the museum with the graphics for all environmental signs, wayfinding signage and label text. Note that the graphic designer doesn't determine the content of these signs and labels and is not responsible for the production of them. This is a design-only charge. Putting it into per-square-foot numbers, the average graphic design fee will be about $3.75 per square foot. Contingency and Escalation: In any project, no matter how well planned and managed, there are cost adjustments that are made throughout the fabrication process. It is wise to allocate 10% of the fabrication fee for contingency fees. Escalation due to increased cost of materials, supplies and labor must also be allowed for, if the museum is creating a firm budget for something that will be built several years down the road. By increasing the contingency fee to 15%, escalation can be planned for. Putting it into per-square-foot numbers, the average for contingency and escalation will be $25 per square foot. Post-Installation Revision: It is often the case that exhibits need some fine-tuning after installation, once it becomes known how the visiting public really uses the exhibits. Sometimes these changes are needed immediately; in other cases, they can be phased in over time. Other exhibits won't need adjusting at all. Thus, the figure can be kept quite low. Allocate 1.5% for revisions. Putting it into per-square-foot numbers, post-installation revisions should be allocated $4 per square foot. Thus, very preliminary cost-per-square foot is $290. Because a new museum's exhibits will most likely include a combination of complex and simple exhibitry, this all-inclusive figure can probably be applied to every exhibit for budget-building purposes. Note that all designer/developer/graphics services are included in this number. When more details about the exhibits in your museum emerge, a more exact budget can be designed.