Who are the best museum exhibit design firms or design/build firms? I recently asked several colleagues in the industry this question. None had a definitive answer. When you visit a museum you don’t think about who designed and built it. You want to know if it works for the visitor. Is it engaging?

This is just a screencap from Warner Bros. 2013 movie Pacific Rim, but seriously how awesome is this?

There are many factors involved in choosing the right firm with which to create a partnership.  Two of the most important factors are do you like them and can you see yourself working side by side with them for the months to come.  What is their personality?  Then there are factors like can they work within a budget, do they have processes to control the project, are they creative, have they done a project similar to yours before, where are they located geographically, and do they have the capacity to do your project.

There are many firms to choose from and they all offer different personalities and approaches.  We have worked directly with some of them and know of the others.  Here are the ones I think are the best in the U.S., not in any order of ranking.

• Ralph Appelbaum Associates – This firm has a big name and has a tremendous portfolio of well recognized museums under their belt.  We had the pleasure of building their designs at the WWI Museum at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City.

• Roto – They have an extensive portfolio and years of experience.  I’ve seen their work and like it.

• Malone – We are impressed with recent work we have seen from Malone.  We consider them friends and really enjoy working with them.  I’m impressed with the energy and business mindedness of the owner.

• Split Rock Studios – We consider them competitor friends.  We are impressed with their portfolio, friendliness and staff.

• Gallagher & Associates – They have an impressive portfolio and an international presence.

• Gyroscope Inc. – They do some creative work.  I believe sometimes smaller firms also know how to stay in budget better than the larger ones and maybe they do.  We had the pleasure of working with them on the Exploration Place museum in Wichita, Kansas.

• Hilferty – They have been doing this for a long time with great success.  We have worked with them on several projects over the years.  Their design is impressive.  Plus Gerard has a love of horses, too!

• Quatrefoil – Another friendly firm with great experience.

• Eisterhold Associates, Inc. – A lot of experience and very creative work.  They are also fun to work with and they are nice people.

• Jeff Kennedy Associates – Another impressive firm with great experience.

There are many others.  I also thought of Jack Rouse Associates.  What a great company with an international presence.  They also do theme parks.  Plus I left out many of the international firms, like Lord Cultural Resources and Aldrich Pears Associates.

Who do you think are the best firms in the industry?  How do you decide who to work with?