Co-creation in Question(s): The Metamorphosis of the Montreal Insectarium A - Reinventing a Living Museum

In 2010, Anne Charpentier, director of the Montreal Insectarium, a natural history museum dedicated to insects, was mandated to metamorphose her museum, whose dilapidated facilities were bursting at the seams. Much more than the story of a simple renovation project, this case focuses on the extraordinary project management approach adopted by Charpentier. Soliciting the input of a host of experts, she spearheaded a co-creation process to help develop the specifications for the architecture competition that would determine the architectural and functional design of the new museum. Against all odds, Charpentier launched a two-year process involving the museum staff, other Montreal museums, world-renowned experts (in entomology and experiential design), as well as the general public. This case presents the details of the approach used along with the thoughts of the director and her collaborators throughout the collective design process. The end result was a program of museum experiences - the centrepiece of the specifications presented to the architects. The case also discusses the challenges faced by Charpentier and her team. The case is divided into two parts (A and B) - the first centres on the context of the museum transformation and the second on the development and implementation of the co-creation process.

• Organizational transformation
• Innovation
• Management skills
• Organizational culture