It did not take us too long to realize that the Walker Art Center is a very different kind of museum. Our first Walker experience took place as we got out of the car and walked through the parking garage surrounded by experimental sounds. The Walker stands out because it uses and integrates design in a museum environment in order to create experiences: physically with the 2005 facilities extension by architects Herzog & De Meuron, visually with the in-house communication design team responsible for the look and feel of exhibitions and publications, and conceptually with exhibitions questioning the role of design in society, past and present (one recent show that particularly caught our interest is Worlds Away, a study on suburbia and its impact on modern America).

How does the Walker achieve such level of excellence in design? Well, the creative team sitting backstage is rather unusual: since 1980, a small number of young graphic design fellows are selected each year to work with the design director. Keeping the design work in-house is a money-saver and integrating fresh minds is a good way to explore unseen territories and experiment on new grounds. We wonder why more museums aren’t adopting this innovative approach.