A YEAR IN REVIEW
Visitor Experience and Brand Management Directed by the PMA Strategic Plan, the
create an array of well-designed materials
The PMA Store focused on featuring
Visitor Experience and Brand Manage-
for exhibitions and communications for the
local vendors, diversifying offerings, and
ment Department implemented several
museum. These items are intended to foster
reimagining the overall aesthetic and
major initiatives.
a conversation with our visitors and patrons
product mix. Local designers Might and
and invite them to engage and interact with
Main worked with the Visitor Experience
Working with local designer Ken Murphy
us on a different level, while simultaneously
and Brand Management Department to
from Murphy Empire and the communi-
broadening our outreach to new audiences.
design and produce a unique and compelling
cation agency Garrand, the PMA launched
range of merchandise related to Winslow
its new brand, which was implemented in
To better serve the number of visitors for
Homer and his work. Many of the products
stages. This identity enabled the department
Weatherbeaten: Winslow Homer and Maine,
were crafted locally. During this time, the
to jumpstart many projects, most notably
a centralized phone center was implemented
PMA Store launched a new website, doubling
the redesign and restructuring of the
to handle visitor inquiries and ticketing
web sales from previous years.
quarterly magazine for PMA members.
requests. The Selma Wolf Black Great Hall
Renamed Inside the Circle, this publication
was redesigned to accommodate the record-
The PMA CafĂŠ continues to be catered by
embodies the direction of the PMA brand
breaking number of visitors, providing a
Aurora Provisions, which is committed to
and identity.
more comfortable experience with additional
serving fresh, organic, locally sourced,
seating and plasma screens. During the year,
and artistically created food options to
Communication and outreach have been
the Visitor Experience Associates handled an
museum patrons.
streamlined into one department, focusing
unprecedented influx of phone calls and
on a holistic communications plan that
transactions, managed a sold-out season
Looking forward, the department will
emphasizes social media and web adver-
of the Winslow Homer Studio, and sold a
be developing and enhancing the PMA’s
tising while maintaining a traditional
record number of memberships.
identity and promoting the institution’s
advertising presence. The PMA works with
exhibitions, programs, and amenities in a
local designers in the Portland area to
holistic, strategic, and energetic way.
Facilities Recent upgrades of the museum's heating,
frequency drive, replaced the original tower
service calls, adding to savings and lessening
ventilation, and cooling equipment has
installed in the Charles Shipman Payson
the investment payback period. The PMA
improved the efficiency of our HVAC
Building in 1983. In January 2013, the PMA
has also signed contracts with independent
operations and enabled the PMA to realize
completed a gas burner conversion of the
energy providers for both electricity and gas.
significant energy savings. During summer
two main boilers for the Payson building.
The Facilities Department is researching and
2012, the chiller HVAC cooling system, with
This investment will help us realize savings
pricing costs to convert our three remaining
its new cooling tower, installed in December
in the reduced cost of natural gas compared
boilers to gas in order to improve efficiency
2011, was in use for the first time. The
to fuel oil. The clean burning of natural gas
while burning cleaner fuel.
cooling tower, which operates with a variable
will also require fewer boiler cleanings and
P O R T L A N D M U S E U M of A R T
INSIDE THE CIRCLE
SUMMER 2013
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