Engaging Places Information

We work with historic sites, museums, non-profit organizations, and cultural institutions build capacity, improve visitation, increase support, and engage communities by assessing current performance and conditions; conducting audience research and program evaluation; providing benchmark and measurable outcomes; designing practical strategies and business plans; and training staff, volunteers, and boards. We've worked with places as small as a one-room schoolhouse and as big as a city, as venerable as a National Historic Landmark and as new as a site still under development, as physical as a Main Street and as intangible as a blog. All of these places can engage the community through an appropriate mix of education, design, and fun that's based on careful research, planning, and execution. It's a complex blend, but we can help. We don't keep our processes a secret or make you dependent on our services. We don't provide assessments that determine we're the only ones who can help. We don't require contracts with long term commitments or in-sourcing. Instead, we will give you the knowledge and resources to develop your staff, board, and organization so that it can perform effectively and efficiently without us. We will help you become an organization that continually learns through planning, implementing, and evaluating as a team. We bill by the project, not by the hour, so you know exactly what to budget for the value received. If we're successful, we'll put ourselves out of business . Engaging Places, LLC is : Max A. van Balgooy, President . One of the national leaders in historical interpretation and community engagement, with extensive experience in developing solutions in collaboration with volunteers, staff, trustees, residents, scholars, design professionals, business leaders, and elected officials. Recognized researcher, author, and speaker on the trends, challenges, and opportunities facing museums, historic sites, and cultural organizations. A skilled facilitator and knowledgeable consultant for ...