Gallery Museum Consulting Services

Michael Barnett, is a museums and visual arts enthusiast with extensive experience in major project planning, installation logistics, strategic outlook, exhibition design and collection management. Originally trained in Architecture his interests embrace strategic planning, facilities development, environmental controls, security assessment and risk management for museum professionals in the areas of building design, research, conservation, registration, and education facilities, visitor services, exhibition installation and in-house workshops. Experience is founded primarily on the visual arts and includes multi-media installations and project management of complex artist installation assignments. Initial interest in art museum operations arose from exhibitions work at Queensland Art Gallery while undertaking practice as a visual artist showing with the legendary Ray Hughes Gallery in Brisbane and Sydney, Australia. Michael was also a leading participant in the project team managing development and installation of the first three Asia-Pacific Triennials of Contemporary Art at the Queensland Art Gallery. Subsequent experience included project description, developing the brief, providing technical advice during the design competition and assisting the architects with the development and delivery of Queensland's Gallery of Modern Art 1994-2007 and other Gallery and art museums projects since. Between 2013 and 2021 he managed a major university art collection of over works with one fifth installed on display around its several campuses. Michael has also maintained an active interest and involvement in architectural practice and teaching since the 1980s including work with the partnership Andresen O'Gorman Architects in Brisbane and later Professor Emerita Brit Andresen. Most recently (2022-23) he has been running programs investigating art museum design projects for Masters Students in the School of Architecture, University of Queensland.