The opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in 2021 ushered in a new era of access to and engagement with the arts, sciences and artists of movies and film. With the Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, the three primary collecting units of the Academy constitute the world's largest film-related collection, featuring over 23 million items that span nearly every medium and genre of creative motion picture production.

We first collaborated with the Academy in 2013 through a Facility Design Review, and were re-engaged in 2023 as the institution moves toward itscentennial in 2027. At this milestone moment, the Academy aims to unlock the full potential of its unparalleled collections, strengthening its position as a global leader. To support this ambition, we were commissioned to lead two major planning studies: the Academy Museum’s inaugural strategic plan, and a comprehensive plan for operational alignment across the Museum, Library, and Archive.

Our process, which integrated the needs and objectives of both workstreams into a cohesive approach, launched in November 2023 and included background research, robust stakeholder engagement, collaboration with workplace culture consultants to conduct a staff survey and workshop facilitation with staff to develop the goals and strategies of each work stream.

By integrating both workstreams into a single cohesive approach, the project established the foundations for a unified vision: that everything the Academy does must connect global audiences through a shared love of cinema. The resulting roadmap defines how the Academy’s three collecting units can operateas a coordinated whole, advancing a unified Academy Collection withharmonized strategy, governance, workflows, and public engagement potential, positioning the institution for success as it approaches its centennial and beyond.