BUILDING A MUSEUM: THIS IS NOT A MANUAL
Every museum project is unique, and it’s a museum’s quirks that demand an equally special process for planning, designing, and building them. As architects who design museums, that’s why we love our jobs—everything that makes museums different also makes the potential impact of a new project that much more exciting.

Once-in-a-lifetime museum capital projects revolve around teams of individuals organized in a network of roles defined by expertise and specialization—and Building a Museum: This is Not a Manual helps you unravel all of it.
SYNOPSIS
Building a Museum is a comprehensive guide designed to assist museum professionals in navigating the complex process of planning, designing, and constructing a museum. In it, seasoned museum design experts Jame Anderson, Monteil Crawley, Sarah Ghorbanian, and Chris Wood condense their decades of experience guiding numerous cultural institutions through successful projects, emphasizing best practices in organizing a capital project and offering suggestions to keep projects moving toward completion.
Developed as a user-friendly tool for museum leaders to easily understand every aspect of the building process, Building a Museum includes intuitive graphics and a handy glossary for common terms. The authors encourage readers to embrace inclusive and collegial strategies that could revolutionize their projects, emphasizing the importance of building a strong network and leveraging professional connections.
The book aims to demystify the planning and design process, making it accessible and practical for museum professionals at any stage of their project.
UPCOMING EVENTS

2026 Western Museums Association Annual Meeting
Exclusive book signing with author Jamē Anderson
Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 5:00-6:30 PM
Grand Ballroom, Hilton Salt Lake City Center
Conference registration required
2026 Southeastern Museums Conference Annual Meeting
Exclusive book signing with authors Monteil Crawley and Sarah Ghorbanian
Monday, September 28, 2026, 4:00-5:30 PM
Winston Ballroom, Benton Convention Center
Conference registration required
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Contact Us
Jame Anderson
Vice President, Director of Cultural
(202) 974-0722
jame.anderson [at] smithgroup.com

















