Collections Storage

  • Integrated pest management plan – pest monitoring to avoid pesticide use
  • Heating and cooling shutdowns during unoccupied hours
  • Compact cabinets and gasketed doors to buffer climate
  • Auction and salvage of outdated cabinets and furniture

    • Offices & Staff Features

  • Environmentally responsible office furnishing materials
  • Common electronic resources, swap desks, and kitchen facilities
  • Showers for bike commuters
  • Open floor plan offices with meeting rooms

    • Galleries & Visitor Amenities

  • Natural lighting where possible
  • Low-toxicity paints and building materials, and FSC-certified wood
  • Low-energy LED lighting
  • Green cleaning policy
  • 35% indoor water use reduction (<20 gallons/person/day)
  • Bottle-fillers to discourage bottled water use

    • Building

  • Insulation retrofit to minimize heating/cooling and save energy
  • Double-glazed windows throughout
  • 50% reduction in energy use overall
  • Innovative heat recovery chiller to reclaim waste heat
  • LEED Gold certification anticipated

    • Outside

  • Native plants for less water consumption and more insect pollinators
  • Outdoor seating areas for relaxation
  • Improved bike and pedestrian access
  • Rainwater runoff systems that allow water to soak into the ground

    • In the Galleries

  • Touchable objects and large, high-contrast text
  • Assistive listening devices and visually descriptive audio tours
  • Sensory-friendly events and visiting hours
  • Multilingual audio programming
  • Seating in every gallery
  • Storytelling from a range of perspectives

    • Inside the Museum

  • Two large public elevators
  • State-of-the-art inclusive bathrooms, wellness rooms, and water fountains
  • Reception desks and other furnishings at accessible heights
  • Wide doors and pathways and clear circulation paths
  • Quiet areas—and spaces where it’s okay to be loud

    • Outside the Museum

  • Four building entrances featuring gentle inclines
  • A route from public parking that avoids street crossings
  • A school bus zone leading directly to a special group entrance