www.attractionsmanagement.com @attractionsmag VOL26 1 2021 MARINE WHITE LIGHT SPECIAL Adventures Merlin's new in extended whale sanctuary in reality p66 Iceland, plus robot dolphins p46 BLACK LIVES MATTER BOB Debating ROGERS the role of museums Celebrating the p34 40th anniversary of BRC p58 ALONE WITH VERMEER A personal audience with a masterpiece p44 SARAH ROOTS Applying lessons learned in London to the Harry Potter Studio Tour Tokyo OF TRANSFORMATIVE, HUMAN EXPERIENCES. 14 attractionsmanagement.com 1 2021 BRC Imagination Arts is a full-service, strategic design and production company that translates brand and cultural stories into transformative, human experiences. For 40 years, we’ve stood on the front lines, helping our clients build more meaningful, enduring relationships with audiences around the globe. Our unique body of work has earned us over 400 awards for some of the most respected and acclaimed brand and cultural destinations in the world. Learn more: www.brcweb.com Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | Cleveland, Ohio attractionsmanagement.com 1 2021 15 www.forrec.com EDITOR’S LETTER Doing better The Black Lives Matter movement has challenged museums professionals to ask testing questions about their role in reparative history and the way we display and interpret racist and colonial collections ine months have passed since the murder of George Floyd ignited the Black Lives Matter movement, N causing many to pause, reflect and commit to change. BLM didn’t make demands – protesters were simply saying, this is a catastrophic problem but not of our making, we’ve done nothing wrong. What are YOU going to do about it? The global response was immediate and unprecedented, with organisations, private individuals and corporations promising change. Museums found themselves facing A slave pen explained at The National Underground hard questions: had they been founded or Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati funded by slave owners? Were collections PHOTO: NURFC gathered during colonial plundering? Were they displaying human remains? These soul searchings have led to initiatives We must find a balance to right wrongs and on page 34 we investigate actions being taken by museums around between removing artefacts the world in relation to BLM and hear their and whitewashing history views about the challenges ahead. Many BLM protests focused on the statues of controversial figures, with repeated calls made February 2021, The Transatlantic Slave Economy for them to be destroyed or ‘put in a museum’. and England’s Built Environment traces hundreds This has raised questions about how we of associations between the slave trade and deal with objects associated with slavery and monuments, people and buildings, to guide the racism and the role museums will play. way history is honestly recorded and interpreted. Some governments have passed legislation Museums have a vital role to play in this to protect historic monuments, while process of reparative history and we must find a acknowledging their past, with an instruction balance between removing artefacts that cause to ‘retain and explain’, rather than destroy, in distress and whitewashing what has gone before. all but the most ‘exceptional circumstances.’ The way histories are retold will also enable However, many museums are baulking at museums to be responsive to the needs of diverse the idea of becoming ‘dumping grounds’ for audiences – in some cases, telling their stories for artefacts associated with racism and prejudice. the first time – as professionals in the museums A new review from Historic England has sector work to address this complex challenge. O revealed the extent of this challenge in just one country. Commissioned in 2020 and published in Liz Terry, editor, @elizterry +44 (0)1462 431385 ATTRACTIONSMANAGEMENT.COM @ATTRACTIONSMAG [email protected] attractionsmanagement.com 1 2021 5 CONTENTS 1/2021 Museums respond Sarah Roots reveals details to the Black Lives of the new Harry Potter Matter movement Studio Tour in Tokyo 34 58 Bob Rogers celebrates the 40th anniversary of BRC 26 05 Editor’s Letter 16 News 44 Alone with Vermeer Liz Terry takes a look at where the The latest news across science The Mauritshuis in The Hague has attractions industry is in 2021 centres, museums, waterparks, allowed visitors one-to-one time zoos and aquariums, theme parks, with Vermeer’s View of Delft, ‘the 10 People: Brent Bushnell visitor attractions and more most beautiful painting in the world’ Two Bit Circus has pivoted to an innovative online model aimed at 26 Sarah Roots 46 Into the deep MARINE keeping its community in touch Warner Bros’ Sarah Roots shares Merlin and the Sea Life Trust SPECIAL exciting details of the second share the highs and lows of the 12 People: Michel Linet-Frion Harry Potter Studio Tour, set epic journey to get two whales to After decades creating for Disney, to open in Japan in 2023 their new home in the world’s first Grévin and Center Parcs, Linet-Frion beluga whale sanctuary in Iceland has launched his own consultancy 34 Black Lives Matter and museums 54 Sea change 14 People: Anthony Rawlins Many museums expressed solidarity Edge Innovations’ incredibly The Digital Visitor CEO explains a with the Black Lives Matter life-like robot dolphins could spell new whitepaper on how attractions movement, but is it leading to actual the end of marine mammals in can survive 2021 and beyond change? We ask the experts aquariums, says CEO Walt Conti 6 attractionsmanagement.com 1 2021 PHOTO: KRISTI JAN HOOVER The challenges of creating 46 Merlin’s new cetacean sanctuary in Iceland Tough Art: creating child-proof installations 82 Phil Hettema shares 86 industry insights Architect Dorte Mandrup talks about The Exile 74 Museum Berlin 92 58 Bob Rogers 82 Tough art As BRC Imagination Arts celebrates A Pittsburgh museum is challenging 40 years in business, its founder artists to create displays tough celebrates his team’s achievements enough for an audience of children 66 Bringing digital to life 86 Dorte Mandrup Extended reality technology provides The Danish architect is designing the opportunities to connect with Exile Museum in Berlin and a climate audiences in amazing new ways change museum in Greenland 74 Phil Hettema 92 Linda Dong The Hettema Group president China Leisure’s president talks on weathering the pandemic and about partnering with Nickelodeon creating powerful experiences 94 Product round-up 80 Award season TechnoAlpin teams up with A celebration of the winners from Swarovski and a jaw-dropping China Leisure’s Linda Dong the TEA’s recent Thea Awards Star Trek LED display in China attractionsmanagement.com 1 2021 7 MEET THE TEAM Choose how you read Attractions Management EDITORIAL DIRECTOR SALES SUPPORT Liz Terry Tyler Landry PRINT +44 (0)1462 431385 +44 (0)1462 431385 Attractions Management is available in print on subscription at leisuresubs.com DIGITAL/DESKTOP Read free online and enjoy extra links and searchability attractionsmanagement.com/digital PDF A PDF edition is available to read offline EDITOR HEAD OF NEWS attractionsmanagement.com/pdf Magali Robathan Tom Walker ONLINE/MOBILE +44 (0)1275 464192 +44 (0)1462 431385 Each issue of AM can be read online at www.attractionsmanagement.com DESIGN CIRCULATION Other resources from Andy Bundy Michael Emmerson Attractions Management +44 (0)1462 431385 +44 (0)1462 471932 Sharon Hale SUBSCRIPTIONS Attractions Management Website +44 (0)1462 431385 +44 (0)1462 471910 www.attractionsmanagement.com Attractions Handbook WEB FINANCE & CREDIT CONTROL www.attractionshandbook.com Tim Nash +44 (0)1462 431385 +44 (0)1462 471917 Attractions Management Ezine & Instant News Alerts www.leisuremedia.com/signup For email use: [email protected] Buyer search engine www.attractions-kit.net Leisure Media www.leisuremedia.com COPYRIGHT NOTICE Attractions Management magazine is published by The Leisure Media Company Ltd, First Floor, 2 Railton Road, Woburn Road Industrial Estate, Kempston, MK42 7PN. 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Annual subs rates UK £48, Europe £65, rest of world £94, students (UK) £25 8 attractionsmanagement.com 1 2021 READER OFFER 20% OFF AT WWW.GRAFFEG.COM WITH CODE: LM20 Terry Stevens gives a unique insight into 50 of reason for being but its reason for resilience, the world’s great tourist destinations focusing perseverance and ultimate success.” Peter on how they are successfully managed in this Greenberg, CBS News competitive marketplace. Paperback • 250 x 200mm • 224 pages “This is not a typical brochure language-driven, ISBN 9781913134952 • RRP £20 promotional bucket-list guidebook. Stevens gives these destinations real world context. He www.graffeg.com tells us its personality, its mood and not just the +44 (0)1554 824000 • [email protected] PEOPLE Attractions People Online was always on our roadmap; closing the park made it a priority Brent Bushnell Co-founder, Two Bit Circus ince its launch in 2012, Two Bit Circus has aimed to bring people together “elbow-to-elbow to play, S eat, drink, and generally experience life at the highest resolution.” Now – at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic means that elbow to elbow socialising is a long way from most people’s realities – the team behind Two Bit Circus have pivoted to an online model which enables them to continue to bring the Two Bit community together.