Can London Contractors Facilitate a Comeback for Museums and the Arts?

Museums and the Arts sector, in general, have been particularly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as they have experienced a massive loss of revenue opportunities. While most museums are still under varying forms of restrictions, adopting a proactive approach by establishing near-term and long-term plans will go a long way to ensure a smooth transition once the public can visit again. Even though there is no one-size-fits-all formula for reopening, it is important to explore the best practices and uncover the important role London contractors can play to facilitate a comeback for museums and cultural organisations.

1. Take safety measures

This is the time for museums to take the necessary precautions and implement safety measures to protect their staff and visitors. Considering the fact that the pre-Covid museum experience had numerous physical touchpoints, a shift to a contactless approach would be a great starting point.

This approach will likely involve making structural adjustments. Experienced London contractors will play a crucial role to prepare facilities in the following ways: installing protections and partitions, erecting temporary outdoor structures, upgrading wash-up areas, and adapting restaurants, among other things. Besides making these facilities safer, these adjustments can also be an opportunity to boost visitor experience.

2.  Communicate changes to make visitors feel safe to visit

While taking safety measures such as, requiring facemasks, enforcing social distancing, providing hand sanitisers, and making structural adjustments, is good, it might not be enough. This is because visitors might not feel safe to re-enter public institutions like museums unless they are aware of these changes. You can make the public feel safe by communicating what you are doing to provide a safe and clean environment. This will go a long way to ensure visitors feel more comfortable visiting your facility.

3. Target local visitors and offer digital experiences

Another sector that was paralysed by the pandemic is tourism. It is important to mention this because a large number of museum visitors are tourists. This means you might need to rethink your marketing strategy with your focus geared towards local visitors.

Offering digital experiences is another important strategy to embrace. Offering digital content and virtual events have been a popular option during the pandemic. As you prepare for a comeback, a continuous focus on digital engagement will ensure that high-risk visitors or those who are not local will have the opportunity to access what you offer.

It goes without saying that a comeback for museums and other cultural facilities present numerous challenges and uncertainties, but it also provides new opportunities to create a better visitor experience. The right London contractors can help you achieve that.

Jerram Falkus is an experienced London contracting company that has successfully completed projects in the Arts and Culture sector, notably the Hintze Hall and Anning Rooms projects of the Natural History Museum.

This is an evolving and exciting era for the cultural sector and we will be glad to undertake your construction and refurbishment projects. Get in touch with us for more information.

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