As museums have taken on more complex roles in their communities and the number of museum stakeholders has increased to include a greater array of people, effective museum planning is more important than ever. The Manual of Museum Planning has become the definitive text for museum professionals, trustees, architects, and others who are concerned with the planning, design, construction, renovation, or expansion of a public gallery or museum. Rewritten and reorganized, the third edition features revised sections on planning for visitors, collections, and the building itself, and new sections on operations and implementation, which have become an essential part of the planning process. This new edition of the Manual of Museum Planning has been updated to meet the needs of professional museum practice in the 21st century and includes contributions by leading museum professionals. This manual is intended to be used as a guide for museum professionals, board members or trustees, government agencies, architects, designers, engineers, cost consultants, or other specialist consultants embarking on a capital project-expansion, renovation, or new construction of museum space

Introduction /
Museum planning /
Museums as social institutions /
Planning the visitor experience /
Understanding collections /
Planning for display /
Planning for collections care /
Preventive conservation /
The museum in action /
Safety and security /
Services and support /
Planning for staff /
Attendance, operating revenue, and expense projections /
Essential planning documents /
Environmental sustainability /
Establishing a project budget and schedule /
Project management /
Site selection /
Design and construction /
Managing costs and cash flow /
Ramping up to opening day /