Construction is well under way for the first floor renovations, and boy, is it exciting. There are so many moving pieces and it is really fascinating to watch this remarkable team keep everything on track and moving forward. As when we first built and opened the Museum, I am amazed by the intricacy and amount of coordination it all requires. Each person’s role is a part of a large puzzle that fits tightly together and there is no room for error. The key is having a great team that works well together. In team meetings dialogue can get heated but egos are checked at the door and what is right for the Museum is everyone’s goal.
The process all starts with great design and we are fortunate to have the Projectiles group as our designers. Sometimes things just fall into place as they should; which was the case with our meeting the three young designers from Projectiles. If when we started looking for designers someone would have told me we were going to end up working with three guys from Paris, France I would have undoubtedly had the same reaction you have now…what!!! Three French guys designing the Cowgirl Museum no way!!! But as luck would have it an exhibition they had designed was being shown at the Dallas Museum of Art and on a whim we had gone to see it. It was visually brilliant and like nothing I had ever seen before in the way it brought the exhibition to life.
From our first meeting with the three guys Reza, Daniel and Hervie, we knew they were the right people to do this project. Their credentials were stellar, their awards numerous but it was their passion for the subject matter and respect for what the Cowgirl Museum stands for that really came across. Sometimes it is hard for us to really see who we are and think clearly about our history. It has been truly eye opening to work with people for whom this culture and history is new. They are bringing such a fresh, innovative look to our story and creating exhibitions that everyone is going to want to see.
The rotunda and a new art gallery are set to open the end of May and the new Wild West Gallery late June. Stay tuned for exact dates!