Agenda Date: 05/20/2025
Subject:
Title
Resolution 55-2025: Approving a contract with Studio Tectonic LLC for the design phase of the revisioning and expansion of the History Gallery in the Littleton Museum
Body
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From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
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Prepared by: |
Tim Nimz, Museum Director |
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Becky Kosma, Deputy Museum Director |
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Presentations: |
Seth Frankel, Principal-Studio Tectonic |
PURPOSE:
The Littleton Museum is seeking to undergo the first revisioning and expansion of the History Gallery in 22 years. Having completed the concept master plan, the Museum wishes to engage Studio Tectonic LLC for the design phase of the gallery project. Per Section 1-15-62 of the Littleton Municipal Code, City Council approval is a condition precedent to the approval of an agreement in which the total value of the agreement is over $500,000.00.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Vibrant Community with a Rich Culture
DISCUSSION:
In 2005, the Museum opened a newly constructed building with exhibition space that increased from 2,000 square feet to 8,000 square feet. The designated space was divided into three separate galleries. While the largest of the galleries has remained mostly unchanged as the “permanent exhibit” or “History Gallery”, the city has developed and installed more frequently changing exhibits in the other two spaces for many years. The History Gallery has not had a complete remaking in the more than 20 years the exhibit has been open. Due to the wear and tear of use by the Museum’s large number of visitors and the lack of updating, the exhibit now appears worn and outdated. As it passes two decades on display, the History Gallery requires a comprehensive remodel to address the significant wear and tear, outdated content, displays, lighting, graphics, and technology, and because it no longer meets the current standards for comprehensive storytelling and experiential learning.
In 2022, the Museum conducted internal and external surveys and completed a grant-funded visioning workshop to assess current limitations and areas for improvement within the Museum’s History Gallery. These initial steps have pushed the Museum forward towards a new vision for the exhibit space, while exploring the possibilities for a re-imagined visitor experience. From these surveys and the consultant-led visioning workshop, the Museum heard that its stories are not comprehensive enough, preventing shared connections with underrepresented community groups, and its current design is not accessible or interactive. The resulting vision for the History Gallery is that visitors of all ages and learning styles have a transformative experience about Littleton and the varied people who have lived here, making personal connections that resonate beyond the exhibition’s walls, broadening their perceptions of Littleton, and feeling included in the community’s stories.
In 2024, the Museum awarded a contract for developing a Concept Master Plan to provide the roadmap for the design and development of the revisioned History Gallery space and content. The design consultant will build on this Concept Master Plan and collaborate with the Museum’s staff to develop a design plan that addresses the Museum’s outdated exhibit design, making it more accessible and immersive. The design should also address how to make the exhibit connect the visitor experience indoors to the living history experience that they will engage with when they step out into the living history farms.
After working with Procurement to conduct a competitive Request for Proposal process and reviewing submittals from nine exhibit design firms, Museum staff determined that Studio Tectonic LLC had presented the most comprehensive and effective proposal, and has the requisite expertise and experience to successfully complete the design phase of the History Gallery project.
BACKGROUND:
For over 50 years, the Littleton Museum has served as the primary repository for history, art, and culture in Littleton’s community. Located on 39 acres, the Museum consists of two living history farms from the 1800s featuring 20 historic and replica buildings, along with heirloom livestock and crops; a collections center; and a main building for exhibition, research, and administration. The main building was renovated and expanded in 2004, increasing the structure’s square footage from 9,000 to almost 32,000. This building, which opened in February 2005, houses the Museum’s galleries, research center, lecture hall, educational classrooms, and offices.
The Museum has an outstanding reputation within the museum community, providing the community with a free and welcoming space to learn, see, and gather. Out of an estimated 35,000 museums in the nation, the Museum is one of only 1,110 to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, demonstrating the Museum meets the highest professional standards of the industry. Additionally, the Museum is one of only 214 museums--and the first museum in Colorado--to be designated as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
The Museum is a beloved community institution for Littleton’s citizens. In 2024, the Museum had 118,232 in-person visits and 83,579 virtual visits. While the majority of visitors are from Littleton and the immediate area, the Museum also sees a variety of visitors from the seven-county Denver Metro area, and within a 100-mile radius up and down the Front Range and into the Rocky Mountains and Eastern plains.
Prior Actions or Discussions
N/A
FISCAL IMPACTS:
The total contract amount for the History Gallery project is $887,440. The cost of the project will be funded by a grant received in 2024 in the amount of $125,000 and Museum Impact Fees in the amount of $762,440. The City Attorney has approved the use of Museum Impact Fees for this project.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution approving the agreement.
ALTERNATIVES:
Council may direct Museum staff to focus on other priorities.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Resolution 55-2025 approving a contract with Studio Tectonic LLC for the design phase of the revisioning and expansion of the History Gallery in the Littleton Museum.