News
Season’s greetings from Cultural Innovations!
Our highlights this year span museums, science centres and art galleries across 4 continents. Thank you to all our clients and partners and we look forward to working with you again in 2026!
To find out more check out our newsletter here
Christmas backstage at the National Theatre
15 December 2025
For this year's cultural Christmas team outing we went behind the scenes at the National Theatre to discover the tools, teamwork and creativity it takes to put on a show at this iconic venue. Thank you to our fantastic guide, James, for sharing some of the secrets of the theatre!
CI presents at IMCC Copenhagen 2025
7 November 2025
We’re back from 3 days in Copenhagen at another fantastic IMCC Conference. We were immersed in inspiring presentations and discussions, with topics ranging from huge science centres to tiny play spaces, and from the use of AI in exhibition design, to the everyday personal items that can tell such powerful stories. We also enjoyed a thought-provoking keynote about helping new audiences to be curious and courageous about walking through the door for the first time.
Our Managing Director, Roger Walshe, presented CI’s masterplanning work for the Naturhistorisk Museum, Aarhus, with Kristin Hibbs on the importance of being vision led and getting that earliest stage of the process right. They were joined by Kim Herforth Nielsen of 3XN/GXN and Ruiting Zhang from Atelier Brückner on the panel ‘Next-Generation Natural History Museums: New Directions for a Changing World’.
Thank you to our hosts and organisers for the superb venues, excellent catering and a wonderful boat trip!
To find out more about our work with the Naturhistorisk Museum Aarhus, see here.
The grand opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum
1 November 2025
A historic moment for Egypt and for the world - this weekend marked the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum and Cultural Innovations couldn’t be more proud to have been involved in the journey to develop and design this breathtaking Museum.
For more than two decades our team has been contributing towards creating one of the most ambitious projects in the world. Take a look back at our journey developing the Grand Egyptian Museum from 2004, or find out more about our work here.
Kanoo Museum officially opens to the public
24 September 2025
We're delighted to celebrate the official opening of the Kanoo Museum in Manama, Bahrain, and see it inaugurated by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa yesterday.
It has been a privilege for Cultural Innovations to collaborate with the museum team on such a unique and inspiring project from start to finish - from masterplanning and content and interpretation to exhibition design.
To learn more about our work on the project see here
The Oseberg ship has been moved to its new home within the Museum of the Viking Age!
10 September 2025
1 Viking ship, 100 meters, 10 hours: The 1,200 year old Oseberg ship is now safely located in its new home within the new Museum of the Viking Age! An incredible milestone for one of our favourite current projects. Well done to all involved!
To find out more about our ongoing work on the Great Viking Journey see here.
Design Director, Andrew Wood-Walker celebrates 18 years at Cultural Innovations!
10 July 2025
This month our Design Director, Andrew Wood-Walker celebrates 18 years at Cultural Innovations!
As the founding member of our design department, Andrew (known to many as Woody) has shaped the creative vision of our earliest projects and been design lead on many exciting projects since.
We asked Andrew to reflect on his journey at CI so far:
“I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work alongside a great team on a wide range of amazing projects from small scale exhibitions to some of the world’s largest museums.
Every project has a unique opportunity to translate complex ideas into accessible, memorable experiences for visitors. From early concept development to seeing your vision come to life, it’s a process that continues to challenge and inspire me.”
🔗 Explore some of Andrew’s project highlights below:
Grand Egyptian Museum, At-Turaif World Heritage Site, Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre
Roger Walshe chairs panel discussion at the UK-Saudi Culture, Sports and Entertainment forum
26 June 2025
Our Managing Director, Roger Walshe was delighted to chair the panel discussion “Cultural Connections: Building a Legacy Through Arts and Heritage” at the UK-Saudi Culture, Sports and Entertainment Forum this month.
It was great to share the stage with leaders and changemakers across culture, sports, entertainment, and tourism—four central pillars of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Our panel explored how arts and heritage in particular can serve as powerful bridges between cultures, and how lasting legacies are built when shared ambitions and creative minds come together.
Cultural Innovations is looking for bilingual Arabic-speaking content researchers and subject matter experts
2 June 2025
ترغب شركة Cultural Innovations في التعاون مع باحثين ثنائيي اللغة (الناطقين بالعربية والإنجليزية) وخبراء متخصصين في المحتوى والانضمام إلى قاعدة شركائنا المستقلين، بهدف التعاون في مشاريع مستقبلية على أساس العمل الحر.
Cultural Innovations هي شركة استشارات ثقافية مقرها المملكة المتحدة، ولها أكثر من 20 عامًا من الخبرة. نفذنا مشاريع في أكثر من 30 دولة، ولدينا سجل حافل في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا. نختص بتخطيط وتنظيم وتصميم تجارب ثقافية عالمية المستوى، تتسم بالجاذبية والتركيز على الجمهور.
نشارك في مشاريع متنوعة، ونتطلع للتواصل مع باحثين وخبراء ومطوري محتوى ثنائيي اللغة في مجالات متعددة تشمل التاريخ، التراث، العلوم، والفنون. وتُعد الخبرة السابقة في المشاريع الثقافية ميزة مهمة.
للمهتمين، يُرجى التواصل مع ريبيكا ريتشاردز، مديرة المحتوى والتفسير، عبر البريد الإلكتروني:
info@culturalinnovations.com
كما يمكنكم زيارة موقعنا الإلكتروني للاطلاع على المزيد:
Cultural Innovations is looking for bilingual Arabic-speaking content researchers and subject matter experts to join our bank of partners for collaborating on future projects on a freelance basis.
Cultural Innovations is a UK-based cultural consultancy established for over 20 years. We have delivered projects in 30 countries, with extensive experience in the MENA region. We plan, curate and design world-class cultural experiences that are engaging, audience-focused and inspiring.
We work on projects of all types and are interested in meeting bilingual experts, researchers and content developers in diverse subject areas, from history and heritage to science and the arts. Experience in working on cultural projects is a definite advantage.
Please contact Rebecca Richards, Director of Content and Interpretation at info@culturalinnovations.com to find out more, sending examples of projects you have worked on.
Grand Egyptian Museum receives ‘highly commended’ for International Exhibition of the year!
16 May 2025
Cultural Innovations and Haley Sharpe had a great night at the Museum + Heritage Awards and were delighted that the Grand Egyptian Museum (Main Galleries) received a Highly Commended recognition in the International Exhibition of the Year category.
“It was a privilege to work on the Grand Egyptian Museum, and an honour to develop the design for this world-renowned collection. The collaboration of two leading international design firms to create a unified visitor experience was incredibly rewarding. The creativity and dedication from both teams are reflected in the final design.” Andrew Wood-Walker, Design Director
Congratulations to all the Museums + Heritage Awards winners and a huge thanks to our amazingly talented team of collaborators and partners whose expertise and dedication made this project possible.
Chairman, Martyn Best, visits the Grand Egyptian Museum
8 May 2025
Earlier this month our founder and chairman, Martyn Best, visited the Grand Egyptian Museum ahead of it’s long-awaited official opening in July. Having been involved in the project for over 20 years, he looks back on the evolution and development of the Grand Stair.
“From the initial vision captured in the wonderful watercolour by David Walker (2005) to work progressing in 2018 through to the outstanding reality in 2025 with the final display design by Atelier Brückner. It is a fantastic start to an epic adventure for visitors to GEM.”
Find out more about our work on this project here
Grand Egyptian Museum Main Galleries are shortlisted for International Exhibition of Year Award!
13 March 2025
We are thrilled that the Main Galleries of the Grand Egyptian Museum have been shortlisted for International Exhibition of the Year at the Museums + Heritage Awards – designed by Cultural Innovations and Haley Sharpe.
CI have worked on this amazing project for over 20 years, leading the content development and interpretive planning and designing over 7,000sqm of the Main Galleries.
Looking forward to the awards on 15th May!
Find out more about our work on this project here
CI visit our ‘Connecting Stories’ gallery in Washington!
12 February 2025
We had a productive trip to Washington DC last week and had the chance to visit our Connecting Stories gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art!
Cultural Innovations had the privilege of leading the interpretation and exhibition design for this space, which highlights the multiple ways we can explore artworks in the museum.
Now almost 2 years after opening, it was fantastic to see a new object rotation, which has allowed curators to spotlight a new selection of objects from the collection and share their stories.
Find out more about our work on this project here
Our 2024 highlights
16 December 2024
Looking back on an exciting year full of new projects and gallery openings across the world. Here are a few highlights from our 2024!
Diriyah Art Futures opens to the public!
26 November 2024
We are thrilled to see that today Diriyah Art Futures, designed by architects Schiattarella Associati, opened its doors to the public with its first major exhibition, 'Art Must be Artificial: Perspectives of AI in the Visual Arts', over 10 years after Cultural Innovations worked on the museum's strategy.
Located within the Historical Precinct of Diriyah, Diriyah Art Futures is an arts, research and educational centre that is a new creative home for New Media Arts in Saudi Arabia. In 2013, the Riyadh Development Authority appointed CI to undertake a feasibility study and scoping exercise to review and establish the potential for an arts venue within the Diriyah district.
Through Cultural Innovations’ experience of working in the region, our contacts with arts practitioners and local research, we were able to recommend a more ambitious and visionary arts-focused facility than originally envisaged – one that embraced digital art and new media, multi-disciplinary practice, production and research.
Congratulations to all involved and we look forward to seeing the significant contribution Diriyah Art Futures will make to the flourishing contemporary arts communities throughout the Kingdom!
Find out more about our work on this project here
Grand Egyptian Museum opens its Main Galleries after 20 years in the making!
16 October 2024
We’re so excited that the Main Galleries of the Grand Egyptian Museum are now open to visitors. Cultural Innovations led the content development and interpretive planning and designed over 7,000sqm of the Main Galleries which tell the 3000-year story of ancient Egypt through extraordinary collections and digital experiences.
Cultural Innovations have worked on the project since 2004, when they provided all museological advisory services for the development of the exhibition masterplan covering 56,000 square metres of exhibition space. The task was to house 100,000 ancient Egyptian artefacts including the entire Tutankhamun collection. CI was appointed technical advisor to the GEM in 2016 to advise on governance and organizational structure; institutional policies; capacity development and mentoring, including planning a world-leading conservation centre.
CIs design team, led by Design Director, Andrew Wood Walker, created galleries that explore the lives of ancient Egyptians through displays of artefacts as well as digital media. “It was a privilege to work with the Museum’s incredible collection and to design experiences that bring the ancient Egyptian world to life.”
See our work on the Grand Egyptian Museum
Four CI projects feature in Blooloop’s list of the top 20 museums and galleries in the Middle East
31 July 2024
Great to see this amazing list of the top 20 museums and galleries in the Middle East by Blooloop - 4 of which CI has helped to realise! Click on the projects below to find out more about our work on each.
- Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt
- Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre, Kuwait
- Museum of Islamic Art, UAE
- National Museum of Qatar, Qatar
Find the article here
CI appointed by Aeronautical Museum Belgrade to help in the reopening of the iconic Ivan Strauss building
1 July 2024
We had an exciting trip in June to kick-off our newest project in Serbia alongside clients, stakeholders and the project team. We are thrilled to be appointed to work with the iconic Aeronautical Museum Belgrade on the reopening of their museum. A massive thank you to the team for hosting us!
Good Morning Baltimore! CI exhibits at American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting & Expo
22 May 2024
We are back in the UK after a busy American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting and Expo.
In a beautiful setting by the historic Baltimore waterfront, we enjoyed some inspiring sessions and workshops around the theme of “Thriving museums, healthy communities”. We were struck by the thought that is going into building and rebuilding the visitor experience in the post-pandemic world.
Thank you to everyone who visited us at our booth - it was great to see some familiar faces and meet so many new people! We look forward to continuing these conversations.
Cultural Innovations designs The Greatest Show On Earth®
9 April 2024
We are thrilled to announce the opening of The Greatest Show On Earth® gallery at The Ringling, Sarasota, Florida, which brings the iconic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus® into the museum.
The team worked closely with the Ringling Museum and Feld Entertainment to tell the story of the last 50 years of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus®, under the ownership and direction of Feld Entertainment.
Cultural Innovations developed the gallery content and interpretative approach and exhibition design across four thematic zones to tell the fascinating story of recent circus innovations including the move of the circus from under canvas to indoor arenas and the incredible techniques developed to make touring the circus possible in the modern era. From the spectacle of the show to the backstage preparations and logistics, visitors are taken on an immersive, multi-sensory experience.
In their design for The Greatest Show On Earth® Gallery, Cultural Innovations has helped The Ringling share a complex story documenting fifty years of the community, business, and spectacle of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®. The team at Cultural Innovations brought creativity and professionalism paired with enthusiasm and curiosity to every step of the collaboration. The result is an extraordinary visitor experience that evokes wonder and joy. – Jennifer Lemmer Posey, Tibbals Curator of Circus, The Ringling Museum
Cultural Innovations attend the Building Museums Symposium, Philadelphia
12 March 2024
Last week Martyn and Andrew enjoyed three busy days in Philadelphia at Cultural Innovations’ third ‘Building Museums Symposium’, organised by Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums.
We also managed to squeeze in visits to the Franklin Institute, Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell which gave us a great introduction to the historic city, as well as attending engaging presentations which shared every stage of museum projects - from audience development through early-stage strategy, development and delivery and into operational excellence. The speakers shared lessons from both positive and not-so-positive experiences. The openness to sharing knowledge by everyone contributed greatly to the value of the conference.
There are a wide range of conversations to continue before we see everyone at ‘Building Museums 2025’ in St Louis.
Cultural Innovations visit Naturhistorisk Museum Aarhus for creative workshops
26 February 2024
We are excited to share that we have started a new project in collaboration with the Natural History Museum in Aarhus, Denmark!
Last week we had a fantastic visit to the museum, meeting the team and running creative workshops. We are looking forward to working closely with the museum in developing their vision in the coming months.
Project Progress at the Viking Museum Oslo
24th January 2024
We’ve had a fantastic few days of workshops and exploring with the Vikingtidsmuseet and Kiss The Frog teams this week! Great to see on-site construction progress and glimpse their amazing collections in store that will bring alive the Viking age in the new museum.
Grand Stair opens to the public at the Grand Egyptian Museum
19th December 2023
We are excited to see that the Grand Stair of the Grand Egyptian Museum has now opened to the public. In 2005, the artist David Walker captured the Cultural Innovations / Metaphor Comms vision for the Grand Stair. An 18 year wait has been worth it.
Click here for more details about our journey developing this world-class museum.
We look back at the International Museum Construction Congress in Antwerp, Belgium
23rd November 2023
The team had an excellent time at #IMCC2023 Antwerp this month, catching up with old friends and new and learning about some incredible projects across the world.
It was great to hear that visitors and local communities are increasingly at the heart of projects, and about thought being given to the emotional experience of a visit. The beautiful Ilulissat Icefjord Centre in Greenland is now a community space as well as a place for sharing scientific knowledge and we look forward to seeing the new vision for the Portland Museum of Art being realised.
We heard how the Design Museum has reduced the carbon footprint of its exhibitions and how Carmody Groarke’s commitment to finding sustainable solutions led them to design a new low-carbon brick made from recycled waste to build the Design Museum Gent. We had a glimpse into the mind of a Belgian brewer in Belgian Beer World, a library of stones at Narbo Via in Narbonne, France, and a library of glitches from the Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid.
One of our highlights was sharing our experience of working on the Grand Egyptian Museum alongside Shirin Brückner of Atelier Brueckner. It was great to see so many familiar faces at the talk and recognise the hard work of the many companies and individuals that have contributed to its creation.
CI have worked on this project since 2004, providing museological advisory services which informed the development of the exhibition masterplan. In 2018, we were then appointed to lead the content development and interpretive planning for the permanent Kingdom galleries and the exhibition design for two galleries that make up this extraordinary museum. It has been a privilege for the CI team to be part of this incredible journey, and was fantastic sharing our learnings at IMCC. Find out more about our work on GEM here.
A big thank you to our hosts and to the IMCC organising committee for a great couple of days!
Cultural Innovations welcomes Rick Pelasara as Senior Associate
12th October 2023
We are pleased to welcome Rick Pelasara as Senior Associate of Cultural Innovations. Rick has been active in the museum world for some 30 years, from Logistics and Production Manager for the Malaysian National Science Center in Kuala Lumpur to Assistant Director of Exhibit Production for the Smithsonian Institution.
Roger Walshe, Managing Director, says 'We are thrilled that Rick will be playing a greater role within Cultural Innovations as we develop and expand our business in the US. His unique depth of expertise and knowledge will be invaluable in supporting our growing US project portfolio.'
Cultural Innovations and BECK appointed to design and build the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Welcome Center
26th September 2023
We are excited to announce CI and BECK’s appointment as designer and fit-out contractor respectively for the prestigious KAUST Welcome Center in Saudi Arabia. The existing Center will undergo a transformation into a captivating and immersive space that introduces visitors to KAUST's vision and highlights the university's offerings, both within Saudi Arabia and on a global scale.
The Design & Build project will see Cultural Innovations developing the concept and schematic design for the Welcome Center, with BECK then creating the detailed design, managing fabrication and overseeing the installation. BECK and Cultural Innovations have a long and successful history of working together to develop and deliver exhibitions and visitor experiences for some of the world’s most respected and prestigious institutions.
Andrew Wood-Walker, Director of Design at Cultural Innovations, says: ‘‘We’re delighted to have the opportunity to design the KAUST Welcome Center. We look forward to working with the KAUST team, and our long-term partners BECK, to create a unique experience that will showcase KAUST’s vision – accelerating impact – and highlight their scientific and academic achievements.”
Schiattarella Associati, Cultural Innovations and team awarded second place in Science Museum Rome concept design competition
20th July 2023
Cultural Innovations were pleased to be part of a creative consortium that were awarded second place in the architectural competition to design the new Science Museum in Rome. The design by Schiattarella Associati features internally lit open structures that are integrated into the surrounding public realm and which highlight the museum’s fantastic collection. We were thrilled to be part of this exciting competition and look forward to working with Schiattarella Associati again in the future.
(Visuals by Schiattarella Associati)
CI attends Ecsite Conference in Malta
28th June 2023
This year, our Non-Executive Director, Lizzy Moriarty, attended the European Network of Science Centres and Museums Conference and shared some of her thoughts:
“Ecsite is always a great conference, but this year I was particularly engaged by Rob Hopkins’ talk, author of 'From What is to What If'. His inspiring keynote took us into 2030 to see projects in all areas of public life such as growing mushrooms in disused underground car parks, schools growing their own food and carless streets lined with trees. He described these as pop-up tomorrows which are happening now due to the collective imagination of communities. His message delivered hope with humour, encouraging the audience to bring future changes today. His talk was inspired by a climate activists' slogan: "I've been to the future and we won!"
I also enjoyed the thought-provoking keynote by Lauren Vargas, which explained how to use futurist scoping models to assess our institutions' digital strengths and weaknesses. This helps to visualise the 'unseen' nature of digital and how data in varying formats is scattered throughout our organisations. Lauren has adapted a digital maturity model to suit museum needs.
With plenty of food for thought, we had time to network and catch up with old friends and new friends in the awe inspiring surroundings of 16th Century Valletta.”
Roger Walshe speaks at UK Saudi Business, Trade & Partnership Forum
12th June 2023
CI was honoured to be invited to be part of discussions at the UK Saudi Business, Trade & Partnership Forum last week in the amazing setting of Mansion House. We enjoyed sharing our experience working on Culture and Heritage projects and the growing focus on preserving history and culture in the panel discussion 'Unlocking the Potential of the Service Economy: Tourism, Culture & Creative Industries Sectors' alongside other sector experts and representatives from the Ministries of Tourism and Culture.
‘Connecting Stories’ Exhibition opens at Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
12th May 2023
We had a fantastic time visiting Washington DC this week, exploring some the city’s many amazing museums and seeing in person our newest exhibition, ‘Connecting Stories’, at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, which opened as part of the museum’s centennial celebrations.
Designed as a flexible space so that objects can be rotated, the exhibition offers visitors fresh perspectives and tools to explore the museum’s world-class collection. Digital interactives encourage visitors to explore recurring symbols in Asian arts and a large wall map centring Asia provides an impactful introduction to the scale and diversity of the continent.
We are proud to have worked on such an amazing project with collaborators Acme Studios, Kudos Design Collaboratory, Morris Hargreaves McIntyre and Bandol Consultants.
Find out more about the project here
We are hiring! Exhibition Designer (Maternity Cover)
28th April 2023
We are looking for a talented exhibition designer (maternity cover) to join our London team.
Find out more about the job specifications in the link and submit a CV, covering letter and examples of work/portfolio to Valessy Cazas - valessy@culturalinnovations.com. If you have any queries regarding the role please contact Valessy.
Application deadline: 21 May 2023
Museum Next’s Green Museums Summit gives a hopeful perspective on museum sustainability
28th March 2023
We have lots to think about after a busy few days at Museum Next Green Museums Summit. We saw fantastic examples of sustainable projects all over the world, many of whom are well on their way to achieving net zero carbon emissions, as well as having thoughtful conversations with our international museum peers about how cultural institutions can empower their staff members and visitors to take action.
Through collaboration with other museums, governing bodies, communities and experts, we are hopeful that all museums can significantly reduce their environmental impact on the planet and work towards a more sustainable future.
CI attends Building Museums Symposium, Atlanta, Georgia
16th March 2023
CI are back in London after visiting the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Building Museums Conference in Atlanta.
It was great to meet so many museum professionals, architects, designers and everyone who plays a part in building or running museums, as well as hearing about ambitious projects, both large and small.
We saw some impressive examples of new builds, adaptive reuse and acupuncture architecture and had thought-provoking conversations around diversity and inclusion, how design as well as visitor programming can support community engagement and of course the urgent issue of climate action and how museums can reduce their environmental impact through decarbonization projects, energy efficiency and sustainable design practices.
Looking forward to continuing lots of interesting conversations and to visiting all the amazing museums.
CI to work on ‘The Great Viking Journey;’ at The Museum of the Viking Age, Oslo
13th January 2023
Cultural Innovations are excited to be part of a team of talented designers creating the Great Viking Journey at the Museum of the Viking Age in Oslo. Led by Kiss the Frog, we will uncover fascinating stories in this game-based museum experience for children and families.
The Museum of the Viking Age is due to open in 2026, and will be the world's leading museum of the Viking Age. At the museum, you can experience the world's three best-preserved Viking ships and more than 8,000 other objects from the Viking Era. The Great Viking Journey will be a social, interactive experience which uses the permanent exhibition in the museum as its playground.
We look forward to working with our partners Kiss the Frog, Torden & Lynild, Bruns, REDRUM and Tactile Studio.
Visual: AART Architects
CI does Christmas in Oxford
12th December 2022
The CI team ventured out of London to Oxford for Christmas this year, where we had the pleasure of touring the iconic Ashmolean Museum, discovering its hidden stories and learning more about its public engagement programmes. After working on the redevelopment plan of the museum from 2005 to 2009, it was great to see how the museum is still evolving to engage new and existing audiences. Of course, we also made time for a festive Christmas lunch before heading back to London!
We are hiring! Office/Studio Manager
28th November 2022
We are looking for an Office/Studio Manager to join our London team. Find out more in the link and submit your CV and covering letter to info@culturalinnovations.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Cultural Innovations reflects on IMCC 2022 in Oslo
10th November 2022
We are back in London after a busy and informative trip to Oslo and #IMCC2022.
We enjoyed a range of presentations from building entirely new museums and preserving Viking ships to the most beautiful toilet in the world! There were lively conversations about whether we should rebuild or reuse existing buildings and about designing from the outside in or inside out. At CI we always say that form follows content, but surely the best projects are when architects and designers collaborate from the beginning, and we saw some great examples of this throughout the conference.
Sustainability gains more importance and urgency every year, well demonstrated by the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai which used innovative technology to harvest and re-use water as well as local sustainable materials for the build. We wish the very best of luck to The Whale museum project in securing their remaining funding to realise their stunning vision and a truly important project for the world.
We also loved the Hill House box project with its clever chain-mail covering which kept the rain out but let the bees in and which had the added bonus of attracting more visitors than ever.
Three different versions of The Scream were on display at the Munch Museum if you were patient enough (they are on rotation every hour) and we had a fantastic tour of the breath-taking new National Museum.
Thank you to all the IMCC conference organisers and our Oslo hosts for a fantastic and successful conference. We look forward to meeting again at IMCC 2023 in Antwerp!
Cultural Innovations turns 20!
30th September 2022
Cultural Innovations started life as the advisory service of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto before becoming what it is today.
Since 2002, CI has worked on world-leading projects in over 30 countries alongside hundreds of talented experts and teams. It has been a very rewarding journey so far and we look forward to all the future opportunities ahead.
We would particularly like to recognise the support, input and contributions from clients, partners, colleagues and, most of all, members of the CI team, past, present and future.
The short video below shows some of the many highlights and milestones of the past 20 years. Here’s to the next 20!
Lizzy Moriarty presents Museum Leadership report and chairs Keynote Panel at ICOM Prague 2022
25th August 2022
At this year’s International Council of Museums conference held in Prague, Lizzy Moriarty, Cultural Innovations’ Non-Executive Director, presented ‘Museum Leadership: Taking the Pulse’ which outlines issues facing museum directors all over the world. The report provides analysis of over 1000 surveys and interviews with museum directors and highlights that alongside reductions in funding they are tackling lack of autonomy, political interference, and difficulties with stakeholder engagement.
In addition, Lizzy convened and chaired the Keynote Panel that discussed expert insights into museum leadership in our uncertain times. It was fantastic to facilitate and be part of discussions around such a crucial topic for museums worldwide today.
The report is available online here, and the Keynote and panel will also be broadcast on ICOM’s YouTube channel.
Roger Walshe and Andrew-Wood Walker appointed Directors of the Company
18th July 2022
The Board of Cultural Innovations is very pleased to announce that as of 1st July, Roger Walshe and Andrew Wood-Walker have been appointed Directors of the Company. Their appointment is a further positive step in the progression of Cultural Innovations for the future, to develop and deliver on the rich and varied achievements of the company over the previous 20 years.
Martyn Best, Chairman said:
‘The Board looks forward to the contributions that will be made by Roger and Andrew as Directors. These are important steps for the next stage of the development of Cultural Innovations. Both Roger and Andrew have exceptional experience and expertise in delivery of the services for which Cultural Innovations is known. We have great confidence that they will continue Cultural Innovations’ strong relationships and support for current and future clients and develop Cultural Innovations for the long term. We look forward to their continued growth within Cultural Innovations and within the sector.’
Roger Walshe appointed Managing Director of Cultural Innovations
28th April 2022
The Board of Cultural Innovations is very pleased to announce the appointment of Roger Walshe as Managing Director from April 2022. Roger has been an important part of Cultural Innovations for over 5 years as Director of Consulting and is taking up the position in addition to maintaining his leadership of client-facing strategy and consulting services.
Martyn Best is moving from his position as CEO to become Chairman with immediate effect.
Martyn Best commented:
‘’These developments are focussed on strengthening Cultural Innovations for the future and ensuring the continued delivery of high-level cultural projects on an international basis. We are looking forward to the ongoing success with Roger as Managing Director supported by a great team.’’
Roger Walshe commented:
“It is a great privilege to be taking on this important role at such an exciting time for CI and the cultural sector more broadly. CI has been at the heart of innovation and global best-practice in the sector for 20 years and has been involved in some of the world’s most high-profile cultural initiatives. With a strong portfolio of new large-scale projects, our team, partners and clients are looking to the future with energy and ambition.”
Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre
Leading Cultural Destination for the Middle East and Africa for 2021 / 2022
Cultural Innovations congratulates the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre for its outstanding success in winning the ‘Oscar’ as ‘Cultural Destination for the Year’ for Middle East and Africa 2021 / 2022 at the Leading Cultural Destinations awards held in Berlin.
This amazing cultural destination was the result of dedicated work by thousands of talented people from Kuwait and across the world, delivering the vision of the Amiri Diwan client team.
Developing the museums was a journey of adventure for Cultural Innovations. From a start in 2013 through to the opening in early 2018, Cultural Innovations was privileged to contribute to all stages of development from initial masterplanning, development of themes, content and interpretation for the museums through to the design of the exceptional exhibits and experiences.
We wish the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre continued success in delivering extraordinary experiences for residents of Kuwait and international visitors.
International Museum Construction Congress
Cultural Innovations is very pleased to be a Gold Sponsor for the International Museums Construction Congress in London from 7 – 9th November.
We are looking forward to welcoming delegates to London for a congress with inspirational speakers addressing important issues relating to museums and cultural development projects. We appreciate the host institutions for making IMCC2021 possible in inspirational locations.
Everyone will be very welcome to London for real in-person interaction!
Mentoring for the Social Mobility Foundation
A group of us from Cultural Innovations have started mentoring students at The Social Mobility Foundation. We are thrilled to be taking part in making a difference to young people's lives for this inspiring charity - read more about the great work that The Social Mobility Foundation do here.
May 2021
Atturaif Living Museum - Visitor Centre
It is great to see such an impressive media wall in the finished Atturaif project. This film by NewAngle tells the story of Atturaif from inception to the present day. Cultural Innovations worked on the content review and development of the galleries and exhibitions for the project. See our project profile here for more information.
Video credit: NewAngle.
January 2021
Maldives Cultural Centre
It’s been great to see the photos of visitors enjoying the Maldives Cultural Centre. Cultural Innovations completed this project back in 2018, and it is wonderful seeing visitors amongst the coral reef walk-through and learn about the Maldivian way of life. More about our involvement on the project here and information about the area here.
November 2020
SAASCC on National Geographic Abu Dhabi
It is incredible to see such fantastic footage of the making of the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre on National Geographic Abu Dhabi. This was an amazing project for Cultural Innovations to work on. More than 2 years on, it is still exciting to see the finished museums being enjoyed by the people of Kuwait!
October 2020
Ringling Circus Museum
The Cultural Innovations team are continuing work on the Ringling Circus Museum in Florida, USA. Initially appointed in 2018, the team are re-developing the contemporary circus gallery to tell the story of the last 50 years of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, under the ownership and direction of Feld Entertainment.
Cultural Innovations are developing the gallery content and interpretative approach and exhibition design to tell the fascinating story of recent circus innovations.
August 2020
Knowledge Sharing: Girl Museum
Cultural Innovations recently had a great Knowledge Sharing session led by Ashley Remer, founder of Girl Museum.
Girl Museum is a virtual museum for exhibitions, education, and raising awareness about girls and girlhood globally. We covered many discussion points, including how Girl Museum works remotely all over the world, and subjects ranging from emotional intelligence, privilege, storytelling and of course GIRLS! Head to Girl Museum’s website, to see the great work Ashley and her team are doing.
May 2020
Sponsor for IMCC 2020
Cultural Innovations are delighted to be Gold Sponsors for the International Museum Construction Congress in London in November 2020. We look forward to welcoming all IMCC attendees later this year, it’s going to be a great event! Find out more about the congress here.
February 2020
HRH The Duke of Cambridge visits SAASCC in Kuwait
The Duke of Cambridge recently visited the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre as part of a royal visit to Kuwait and Oman. It’s great to see him enjoying the interactive exhibits and exploring the museum with local school children - Cultural Innovations are excited to see the importance of the cultural centre in Kuwait.
Images of the Duke at the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum can be found here. A video of the Duke arriving at the museum can be found here.
December 2019
Palestinian Museum wins Aga Khan Award
Cultural Innovations would like to congratulate architects Heneghan Peng for winning the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for their work on the Palestinian Museum. This recognition is very well-deserved for such an excellent design of this prestigious and important project which honours and celebrates Palestinian culture and heritage.
Here at CI, we are proud to have provided strategic development for this fantastic museum which offers an abundant array of workshops, performances, exhibitions, tours and more – all inviting visitors to engage in the culture and history of Palestine. Being in at the start, working alongside the client team to help shape the creative vision for the museum which was a privilege and we are delighted to see the design and delivery of the museum celebrated in this way.
September 2019
Electrosonic wins Best Museum Award for SAASCC
The Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre recently won the Best Museum Award at the 2019 Commercial Integrator Awards. Cultural Innovations would like to congratulate Electrosonic on this fantastic achievement; we are proud to have worked on this project and love seeing the continued appreciation for the cultural centre.
More details here.
June 2019