Museum Amenities
Galleries
The museum will have multiple gallery spaces for the display of artwork, medical and scientific interactive exhibits. Modular areas will be available that can be used for multiple functions, including gallery space, conferences, and workshops.
Theater
A theater will provide a venue for movies, talks, conferences, and musical performances. This space may be used for the education of museum visitors, professional conferences, and fundraising events or rented out for appropriate events. The area will seat between 275 and 350 people.
Destination Restaurant and Café
The museum restaurant will take advantage of the most scenic views from the museum, overlooking the garden and water view. The restaurant may also have an open air, patio serving area. The indoor area of the restaurant will seat seating about 225 people.
The upscale restaurant will serve fine, anti-carcinogenic meals. Wine can be a part of an anti-carcinogenic diet and thus will be served in the restaurant. The restaurant will be open typical restaurant hours, including hours that the museum galleries are not and open to the community. Preference for reservations, however, during busy times will be given to museum visitors. The restaurant seating will be divided into rooms so that sections of the restaurant can better accommodate group and special events.
The museum will also have an informal café, serving beverages and healthy snacks and light meals during the day. There will be an outdoor serving area with wifi for visitors.
Book Store and Gift Shop
Most museum gift shops are afterthoughts and too small. The museum will have shops the offer products of interest to its visitors, including gifts, apparel, jewelry, books, art work reproductions and health related products.
Artists’ Gallery/Event Hall
The “artists’ gallery” will be a space that is adaptable for showing the work of contemporary artists, and offering them for sale. It should provide an open floor space design and storage area for display walls/dividers which can be moved according to the needs of the artists. Art in this gallery will be on temporary display, thus giving different a changing experience for the visitor. This space will also be available for receptions, and conferences, such as science conferences where abstracts of work can be shown, or as a multipurpose room.
Clinical Area
The museum will have office space for private consultations, genetic sample collection and counseling, and limited clinical services. Samples for this usually do not require a blood draw, but only a swab of the mouth. This area could also be used as a “nurse’s area” in the event of a visitor feeling ill, for outreach and other services.
Devotional Area
A quiet room for devotion and prayer will be reserved. In this area, images of people and denominational icons will be avoided. Artworks may be of natural scenes, flowers, bird, etc. A running water wall is suggested, facing qibla. This room may at times be reserved for specific devotions. This area gives recognition to the role of spiritual life in healing.
Water Features
Several water features are planned. There will be indoor water features in the atrium, as well as one planned for the devotional area. There will be outdoor pools, fountains, and waterfalls will dependent on the site location and land available. The water feature will create a serene, but invigorating, environment for the visitor. The sound of cascading water provides a sense of life, fertility, and calm, and will enhance the museum design and experience. Outdoor water features can create a transition area between the building and outdoor area, and a sense of privacy and isolation within nooks in the contemplation garden, without isolating guests.
Contemplation Garden and Outdoor Spaces
The museum will be situated in a park-like environment, have an outdoor garden and patio. Space for a sculpture garden is desirable. The garden should have open areas for small events such as private parties, and smaller areas such as a contemplation garden. Ideally, the space would allow sufficient area for room to expand the facility in the future. A grand lawn can be used for outdoor activities.
The garden, featuring tropical foliage and water features, will provide space for outdoor events, such as weddings, music, and fundraisers. The garden will have plants flowering throughout the year. It will provide shaded areas and semi-private alcoves with benches. Planting of large shade trees; mango, tropical Ficus, might be complemented with citrus; oranges and lemons, which are smaller trees, but have fragrant blossoms and colorful fruit much of the year. The garden will have sculptures on permanent display.
One or more raised fish pools for koi will have lotus flowers growing. There are two species of lotus; the pink Asian royal lotus, and the buttery yellow American lotus, a Florida native. Both will be featured. The edge of the pools will be the height and width of a bench, to invite the pool edge to be a seating area.
