Synthesis Partnership

Mystic Seaport, The Museum of America and the Sea™

Strategy   Identity   Capacity   Facilities

Founded in 1929, Mystic Seaport, The Museum of America and the Sea,™ has long been recognized as the nation’s leading maritime museum. In addition to an unparalleled collection of watercraft, and a coastal village assembled from historic buildings from across New England, Mystic Seaport has gathered extensive collections of maritime photography (over one million images) and two million other maritime artifacts. As competition for leisure time activity has increased and audience preferences shifted, outdoor museums such as Mystic Seaport have seen decreasing attendance levels. In response to this trend, the Mystic Seaport board of trustees and staff took action to understand the reasons for this decline and determine new approaches that would be relevant to contemporary audiences. Starting in 2002, they undertook a series of studies and planning sessions that have resulted in a comprehensive master plan. The determination was that to thrive, the Museum would have to transform their offering with an all-weather, all-season indoor facility capable of a wider range of exhibit content and delivery.

With little experience in creating a major new facility, Mystic Seaport hired Synthesis Partnership for a series of assignments. First we presented to the board an overview of the strategic, operational and financial issues they would encounter in the creation of a new indoor museum. We then developed an architectural program and budget for the project, set up and guided a process for identifying and selecting an architect and exhibit designer, and assisted in negotiating client-favorable contracts with the chosen firms. We worked with staff and board committees throughout this process, and presented updates to the board as we progressed. Once the design firms were hired we continued to advise Mystic Seaport in shaping the project to meet budget and expectations.

Heritage Harbor Museum

Capacity   Facilities

Heritage Harbor Museum is a collaborative joint venture of many independent historical and cultural organizations to present the multicultural fabric of Rhode Island. The project began with two issues: small museums’ lack of mainstream audiences, and costs associated with redundancy of administrative functions among them. The conversation quickly moved beyond sharing space to the appeal of telling many histories side-by-side to an audience immersed in a combined historical experience. Synthesis Partnership was retained to guide Heritage Harbor from the realm of a splendid idea to that of a well-structured business. Heritage Harbor had initially organized itself in an intentionally loose and flexible structure suited to an embryonic venture that needed to remain nimble as it explored the nature of what it wanted to become and achieve. With the imminent approach of substantial exhibit costs, major construction commitments, a broadening capital campaign and significant increase in staffing levels, there were compelling needs for structural changes in governance and management.

We analyzed both capital and operating budget assumptions, suggested changes in fundraising goals and accounting procedures, provided manuals of financial and personnel policies and procedures, and suggested revisions of the by-laws and of a participation agreement. We conducted a benchmark study of other consortium-based organizations in an effort to create an optimal model for productive cooperation among 19 very different organizations. Working with representatives of the member organizations, we crafted a new governance structure better suited to draw on the expertise and philanthropy of the larger community, and a management structure better able to support the goals of the member organizations.

Goodspeed Musicals

Strategy   Capacity   Facilities

Goodspeed Musicals had long outgrown its performance and support spaces, but was not able to get permits to expand in its small town location. When the City of Middletown proposed that Goodspeed build a new theater there, Goodspeed needed to evaluate the implications of a move. We assessed two alternative sites, analyzed the proposed architectural program and budget, created an interactive financial model so that Goodspeed could test the myriad combinations of variables, and presented our findings to the board of trustees.

Trinity-on-Main

Strategy   Identity   Capacity   Facilities

Trinity on Main is a community-based organization that mobilized to save and reuse the vacated Trinity United Methodist Church building as an arts venue. The organization assembled a board, acquired the building, made some urgent repairs, and began producing performances. The board recognized that to make further progress they would have to have a clear and effective strategy for consolidating their current achievements and building on them to put the organization and its goals on a sound footing. Synthesis Partnership was asked to assist with organizational development, strategic planning, and business and facility strategy. As a result of our work the board developed new leadership, created a full time position for an executive director, strengthened programming and built confidence among local funding agencies.

Homeland Foundation

Strategy   Identity   Capacity   Facilities

The Homeland Foundation, established by the late Chauncey Stillman, has a variety of charitable purposes, including the maintenance of Wethersfield House, Gardens, Stable and Farm for public visits. This 1200-acre estate offers a remarkable collection of artworks in a Georgian style colonial brick residence, and a garden that Henry Hope Read called “the finest classical garden in the United States built in the second half of the twentieth century.”

The foundation’s board had a variety of concerns on which they asked for guidance from Synthesis Partnership, including overall usage of the property, appropriate care for the artworks, security, agreements with other institutions, and development of publications. We have been advising them since 2004.