Toward a human-centered approach to art museum design: Learning from volunteers' perceptions and experiences

This study advocates a human-centered approach to art museum design based on perceptions and experiences of users at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. Upon conducting in-depth surveys, the results and discussions are informed by the statistical evidence of the relationship between levels of occupant satisfaction, workspace design, and comfort. The study reveals how award-winning designs may fail to address architectural and interior design principles when lacking adequate accessibility and wayfinding, leading to subsequent obstacles in operations, maintenance, and management. It builds on a previous post-occupancy evaluation of museum users, which included visitors and staff, by adding a post-occupancy evaluation of volunteers, who were found to be a valuable resource for developing a comprehensive set of evidence-based design recommendations for future art museums and their additions.