Flint Hills Discovery Center

The Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kansas is a new museum designed to inspire stewardship of one of the nation’s most unusual ecosystems, the Tall Grass Prairie of the Flint Hills. The museum features overview exhibits for first time visitors and in-depth programming designed to engage community members in caring for the Flint Hills.

Guy Hermann led the master planning team through the museum visioning process, including mission, vision, and audience definition. Activity and Experience planning, including exhibits, collections, public programs, and related activities followed, along with space planning. Based on these plans, Guy provided business model analysis and development. The work included developing multiple alternative staffing and operating scenarios in order to understand the short and long-term ramifications of programmatic and facility decisions. Guy also led public information meetings at each stage of the planning process.
Following the master planning process, Verner Johnson developed architectural designs and Hilferty Associaties created the exhibit concepts based on Museum Insight’s work. The 35,000 SF Discovery Center opened in April 2012. In its first year, he museum exceeded attendance projections by 50%.