It’s an art to keep connected

Just imagine: you are an association conference or a trade fair  with a huge amount of international attendees and followers, you have a steady input of new ideas and views, you have an important story to tell…..and then you realize that your next event is 10 years from now. Whoa, 10 years!

How on earth are you going to stay  in touch with your community  and keep the momentum going? Will people forget about you? Will you become old news? How can you ever survive?
Well….it happens. Not just in the events industry. It happened to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, closing 10 years ago for major renovations, and due to open again April 13^th 2013. Less than a month away. And they had a way of keeping the conversation going that inspired me. And can inspire events as well.

1 Stay open, even though you are closed  

Confusing? Well yes and no. Even though the main building was closed, they kept a “greatest hits” collection on display in a separate part of the museum. Plus, the collection went on loan to other museums and special exhibitions, engaging people outside Amsterdam. Lesson learned: stay in touch using smaller spin-offs, and share your knowledge in other events. Be out there!

2 Tell your news – good AND bad

During the 10 years, the Museum kept an open conversation about delays, problems with builders and cyclists (well, it IS Amsterdam after all), as well as achieved targets and great designs. The mix of messages kept an open conversation going – we all had our own opinion and were able to share it. Lesson learned: keep the conversation going! Really…

3 Show your work in progress

During the building, they kept us informed. Not only by telling news, but also showing the building in progress face to face – they had “hard hat tours” and unveiled new acquisitions. Lesson learned: people like to share in progress. Invite your stakeholders to comment on new ideas, use surveys or your social media – ask questions and let delegates share their views.

4 Share your knowledge - everywhere

With the collection in other exhibitions and in huge depots, it was up to the museum to keep those great works of art “on view”- and they used the website to do it . They opened RijksStudio https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio , a part of the website where you can collect, share (on social media) and use your favorite parts of the collection. Images with a superb quality to make your own. Lesson learned: your content is valuable: share it in whitepapers, blogs, chats, events or webinars, and see which parts will spark a conversation.

5 Engage in all forms and formats

The museum used old, new, social, formal - you name it -  media to keep in touch. And now that the opening is getting close, there are numerous of different smaller special events and pre-viewings to get the buzz going. On site, on line – everywhere. For all stakeholder groups: all feel connected. Lesson learned: look at the segmentation of your stakeholders and  be relevant to all of them. Make sure to keep Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y on board and dare to change your event format accordingly, with a meeting architecture that meets all needs.

And then?…. enjoy the connection with old friends, new views, in a fresh environment where history is shown and made.

As far as I am concerned, the Rijksmuseum did a great job, and I am really looking forward to visit again. To do a little re-connecting. And safe to say – I will be inspired again.

(meeting) ( architecture ) inspiration

Recently  two museums caught my eye and reinforced the vision that to really innovate and improve meetings and events we need to look outside our own profession. How are other venues engaging with their visitors, their audience? What are they telling them, how are they making their stay a pleasure?  

First there was the intriguing Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, which shows art from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.  Although an interesting collection, it was the building itself that spoke to me most. With a large green vertical garden enriching the exterior and a garden with great variety of plants and  noises leading into the entrance, it made a perfect harmony of inside/outside (not to mention that it really is a “green” building). What an experience, just walking to the entrance.

Inside we were “greeted” by a permanent installation called “The River”, words flowing down a pathway, making you want to explore its source. It brings you to the permanent collection that lies on the same pathway, with larger and smaller exhibits on each side, eventually bringing you back to “The River” on your way out.  

Lessons: connecting inside/outside, flow, engagement, a double “wow” in the entrance (and exit), visible sustainability. This museum would make a great model for a meeting layout. Just think about it. I know I am!

The second was the great building of MAS in Antwerp, Museum aan de Stroom (which means it is situated at the river). It has 10 floors, the top one being an observation deck that is open to everyone: you don’t have to buy a ticket to get a great view. Every floor tells a story about the city and its inhabitants and shows a new view of the city itself through huge windows, as you go up floor after floor.

The exhibitions on each floor have the same pattern: a small entrance room with a unique experience (no, I am not telling what they are!) brings you into the actual collection, with  more detail on your mobile phone if you want to. On your way out there is an invitation to participate in an activity connecting you to the story. It brings an element of surprise and familiarity at the same time, and gives a great topic for your conversation as you go to the next floor. 

One floor has its collection open to all visitors: it houses the public depots and gives the non-paying visitors and idea of what the museum is all about. Sharing a bit of the history of the city and its collections with everyone, and probably convincing some to go and see the rest of the collection after all.

Lessons: connecting inside/outside, engagement, interaction, wow factor, use of tech, segmentation, ease, rest, sharing. How would this translate to a tradeshow? Just think about it. I know I am!

Main lesson learned? Go visit a (new) museum. Anywhere. It will teach you.

I am eager  to see what our Amsterdam Rijksmuseum will be like when they re-open in spring next year. I’ve seen images of a small plane on the top floor, and a very crisp new logo – can’t wait!

Five things I learned from design and craftmanship

Back in the 80's I was an art history intern at a great London museum: The Victoria & Albert Museum. My focus was in the applied arts, and I loved being with the furniture department, learning about the way people decorated their homes through the ages, and the craftsmanship that was put in all these objects. Art with a purpose, so to speak. 

The best days, however, were outside the museum, visiting the many stately homes in the greater London area. Every weekend I was at some great building, experiencing a history in objects and stories.

I thought about this the other day, when I was rearranging some of my old books. Now that I am researching exhibitions, conferences and events, can I still learn from studies in architecture and design? Yes I can, and not only because "meeting architecture" and "event design" are part of my scope. Think about it:

-       Every room has a purpose

In stately homes it is easy to find your way. From the entrance to the main room a long corridor shows you a sequence of halls and chambers, each with its own décor. As a visitor you know exactly where you are supposed to go. But it never is boring: there is a logic that still leaves room for surprise and involvement. The folly in the garden, the mirrored room. So how about an exhibition layout? Can it be clear and surprise at the same time?

-       The need of a great architect

Well that’s obvious: a well designed conference, a successful trade show – they need a good architect who can build a gathering  just like a building in wood, stone or any other material. With eye for detail, engaging all involved (builder, painter, carpenter), communicating a clear vision. Including, naturally, his clients. All working together.

-       Add on, but keep identity

Most stately homes have been there for centuries. They saw later additions, were enlarged, had new wings built. Different in style sometimes, but always blending in with the old, original house. To keep them up to date, keep them relevant to the households. Even if a house was only lived in during the summer or winter. Events need that maintenance, too. Adding new (virtual) components, and keeping the brand alive after and before the actual event.

-       Show and tell

The best paintings and statues, the most interesting collections of silver or china, were always on display in the stately homes. Works commissioned by famous artists telling the story of the people that lived there.  A “show and tell” to impress. Events do this all the time. Sharing stories, and engaging an audience – using different platforms or formats. 

-       Partnerships

Most stately homes are situated in large, landscaped parks. Their location was chosen carefully and the surroundings make the houses stand out even more. Dramatic backdrops, sometimes. Great impact. Client, architect and landscape architect working together. Reminds me of collaboration between conference, venue, host city: stakeholders working together, all in their own expertise. Achieving great things when they collaborate.

When they build the best event possible. A special place to be.