Attractionswww.attractionsmanagement.com management VOL 14 Q2 2009 GIANT SCREENS The latest on super-sized fi lms and screen technology from the GSCA Film Expo MONSTERS VS. ALIENS ™ & ©2008 DREAMWORKS ANIMATION L.L.C. AZiÉhbZZi^c6bhiZgYVb Klaus-Michael Machens, Hannover Zoo NETWORK 30 SEPTEMBER > 2 OCTOBER 2009 BUSINESS PASSION EDUCATION PEOPLE RAI AMSTERDAM 2009 Register on www.eas-expo.org and we will keep you informed. ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT EDITOR’S LETTER INSPIRING CHILDREN ON THE COVER: Monster vs Aliens in IMAX. See our giant screens update in this issue n January 2008, the DCMS published the McMaster Review: Supporting Excellence in the Arts, a report intended to outline the way forward for the READER SERVICES I development of our creative industries. The review was carried by by Sir Brian SUBSCRIPTIONS McMaster at the request of the then-secretary of state, James Purnell. Julie Albone +44 (0)1462 471915 In his foreword, McMaster said: “This report is founded on the belief that excellent CIRCULATION MANAGER culture goes to the root of living and is, therefore, relevant to every one of us. Art has Michael Emmerson +44 (0)1462 471932 never before been so needed to understand the deep complexities of Britain today.” EDITORIAL TEAM The review went on to recommend the creation of a system of self-assessment EDITOR and peer review to “encourage and reward excellence, innovation and risk-taking”. Liz Terry +44 (0)1462 431385 The DCMS ran a pilot scheme during 2008 and early 2009 at the Natural History MANAGING EDITOR Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Tyne & Wear Museums. The results Andrea Jezovit +44 (0)1462 471918 have just been published and these will be evaluated with a view to deciding how best to roll out the system across all DCMS-sponsored museums. NEWSDESK Tom Walker +44 (0)1462 471917 The peer review praised the National Portrait Gallery for its high standards and in Pete Hayman +44 (0)1462 471931 this issue we talk to Sandy Nairne, director, about how he and his team have worked Sarah Todd +44 (0)1462 471927 to create a spirit of excellence within the organisation. Caroline Wilkinson +44 (0)1462 471911 Many museums weren’t originally designed to be used by ADVERTISING TEAM children – they can be intimidating and unwelcoming places PUBLISHER Julie Badrick +44 (0)1462 471919 and could do much to make their collections more accessible ADVERTISING SALES One group singled out for attention in the McMaster review is young people. John Challinor +44 (0)1582 607970 McMaster said: “Introducing children and young people to culture at an early age Jan Williams +44 (0)1462 471909 and as frequently as possible is critical. It makes culture familiar [and] it provides a Tessa Alexander +44 (0)1462 471903 framework for understanding new cultural experiences. We must inspire a new gen- ATTRACTIONS RECRUITMENT eration of creative, culturally aware and culturally active individuals, giving people the Annie Lovell +44 (0)1462 471901 chance to experience the power of culture at an early age.” ADVERTISING PRODUCTION These are important aims, but it’s clear that many museums could still do more to Ed Gallagher +44 (0)1462 431385 make their collections accessible to children and young people and on page 24 we WEB TEAM ask what more museums can do to welcome children. INTERNET From the attitudes of staff to the way labels are written, there Michael Paramore +44 (0)1462 471900 is much that can be done to involve and welcome children. Dean Fox +44 (0)1462 471926 We must be aware that many traditional museums were Tim Nash +44 (0)1462 471917 not originally designed to be used by children – they can Katie Eldridge +44 (0)1462 471913 be intimidating and unwelcoming places for young peo- FUN-KIT.NET/MUSEUM-KIT.NET ple. There is much work to be done if we are to achieve PRODUCT SEARCH ENGINE the goals set by McMaster while still ensuring that adults Sarah Todd +44 (0)1462 471927 who visit don’t fi nd their time is upset and disrupted. Martin Nash/Mark Edmonds The National Portrait Gallery combines facilitated video +44 (0)1462 471933 conferencing for schools with guided visits and outreach DESIGN programmes and these are the kinds of programmes which Andy Bundy +44 (0)1462 471924 can be shared through the peer review process. Claire Toplis +44 (0)1462 471910 FINANCE Liz Terry, editor, [email protected] Sue Davis +44 (0)1395 519318 Denise Gildea +44 (0)1462 471930 THE LEISURE MEDIA COMPANY PUBLISHES spa business uniting the world of spas health club SPORTS management MANAGEMENT The Leisure Media Company Ltd, Big Ambitions ## !" % GROWING RUGBY James Balfour from grassroots to the top of the game & Tony Cowen SUE TIBBALLS Portmill House, Portmill Lane, Spiegelworld PRADEEP RAJAN the WSFF CEO on how to attract women into sport & "+%%, . +- 0... .. Sport England analyses the success of its Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1DJ UK $"" new strategy 1IJM3FENPOE Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385 London's Olympic Park Fax: +44 (0)1462 433909 e-mail: [email protected] ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT IS THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SUPPORTED BY www.attractionsmanagement.com ©Cybertrek 2009 AM 2 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 5 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 2 2009 24 TALKING POINT: 34 ATTRACTIONS DESIGN: SHOULD MUSEUMS BE MORE FORREC 5 EDITOR’S LETTER ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN? Dave Eagleson talks to us about design 8 MUSEUM NEWS We ask the experts whether museums philosophies and one of the fi rm’s latest 9 HERITAGE NEWS are making the effort for children – and projects, Nickelodeon Universe 10 WATERPARK NEWS if not, how they can improve 11 GALLERY NEWS 38 ECO DESIGN: 12 THEME PARK NEWS 26 EDUCATION: BUILDING GONE GREEN 16 BALPPA NEWS SEEING IS BELIEVING We look at four recent sustainably- 18 ZOO & AQUARIUM NEWS A conversation with Colly Mudie, coor- designed visitor attraction projects to 19 SCIENCE CENTRE NEWS dinator of the University of Leceister’s fi nd out the benefi ts of going green study on how museum visits impact school students and their grades 43 NEWS REPORT: 20 PROFILE: DARWIN 200 SANDY NAIRNE 30 PLANETARIUMS: A year-long celebration spearheaded The National Portrait Gallery has been BEYOND THE STARS by London’s Natural History Museum is praised in a recent review by the UK’s Some planetariums have been getting underway to mark the 200th anniversary Department for Culture, Media and creative to build on the way their facili- of Charles Darwin’s birth. Tom Walker Sport. Director Sandy Nairne talks about ties are used and attract new types of looks at how museums around the world how the gallery has achieved its success visitors. Andrea Jezovit investigates are marking the occasion 6 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 2 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 ISSUE 2 2009 DIGITAL MAGAZINE: See Attractions Management online: attractionsmanagement.com/digital TODAY’S NEWS AND JOBS: For the latest opportunities in the attractions industry, plus global market news, check out our daily website: www.attractionsmanagement.com or sign up for e-news on www.leisuresubs.com ATTENTION BUYERS! Wherever you are in the world, fi nd suppliers 24/7 using Attractions Management’s dedicated leisure search engine: www.fun-kit.net SUBSCRIBE: Be a part of the bigger picture and subscribe to Attractions Management. To sign up, call: +44 (0)1462 471915 BUYERS’ GUIDE: For suppliers of products and services in the worldwide attractions industry, turn to page 81 44 MYSTERY SHOPPER: 59 ROBOTICS: 74 TOP TEAM: ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO IT’S ALIVE! TOUCHING THE PAST Frank Gehry’s new design has trans- From a shockingly lifelike Yeti to a giant Kath Hudson speaks to the team behind formed the building into an iconic mechanical spider, today’s animatronic the upcoming £12m Welsh geneaology structure. Caroline Wilkinson visits to and robotic creations are more exciting attraction, set to launch in 2010 fi nd out how it rates for gallery-goers than ever. Kath Hudson reports 78 PRODUCT NEWS: 48 TICKETING: 64 GIANT SCREENS: SECONDARY SPEND TACKLING TICKETING GOING LARGE Products to help drive secondary spend In a series of case studies, we look With new fi lm screenings and discussion at the ticketing solutions provided for of issues from digital projection to dome 80 PRODUCT SPECIAL: seven different visitor attractions theatres, the 2009 GSCA Film Expo was MUSEUM KIT an important event for the giant screens A look at products for museums 54 MULTIMEDIA & AV: industry. James Hyder visited BREWING UP FUN 82 ODD JOB: BRC’s Greg Lombardo takes us behind 68 WATERPARK DESIGN: ANOTHER DIMENSION the scenes of the newly-redesigned, mul- BUILDING PARADISE INDOORS Artist and animator J. Walt Adamcyzk timedia-heavy Heineken Experience, and Four indoor waterpark experts talk paints virtual worlds on planetarium we round up the latest visitor attraction design tips and trends, plus a roundup domes as part of his Spontaneous multimedia and AV news of the latest indoor waterpark news Fantasia performances AM 2 2009 ©cybertrek 2009 Read Attractions Management online attractionsmanagement.com/digital 7 ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT MUSEUM NEWS Expansion plans for Mississippi Museum A rough draft for the US$70m (£47.8m, %57m) expansion of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, IA, US has been drawn up. The museum’s executive director Jerry Enzler said that the plans would be published shortly. Enzler predicted that the initial designs would be available well before Easter. “They won’t be the fi nal drafts, but we will know where everything is going to be,” he added. The project will involve doubling The museum was designed by Ridwan Kamil the size of the existing museum and is New tsunami museum opens in Aceh expected to open in 2010.