40% Design Phase

Visitor Experience Walk-Through (In Brief)
Primary Focus: Six Themes of Muhammad Ali's Life

January 2003 The Muhammad Ali Center is making great progress in the design development of its visitor experience. The process now stands at 40% complete, which-in cultural center and museum community terms-means that the major concepts have been developed and the specifics will be produced over the next several months. Two floors-about 24,000 square feet-of the 5-1/2-story building will be designated for exhibitory, and will contain the heart of the visitor experience. This experience will largely incorporate six prevailing themes of Muhammad Ali's life that generate emotional experiences and content, and that will give visitors opportunities to explore these same themes in their own lives. Rather than traditional "galleries," the Ali Center experience will lead visitors to and through "theme-based" pavilions-or open "portal" spaces. The themes will be introduced through signage, exhibit design, and sound. Each portal will include a mix of exhibitory, media theatre, interactivity, and exploratory spaces. In addition, the technique of using "storytellers" as a kind of mentor will be introduced in the individual exploration spaces. Before entering the two floors of the "visitor experience," guests will be invited to enter the Orientation Theatre, which will accommodate 110 people. Here, visitors will be able to view an introductory media presentation that chronicles the major events in Ali's life, generates excitement and inspiration, and introduces them to the six major themes of the visitor experience.

Overview of Six Themes:

1. GIVING
Goals: To introduce visitors to the theme of caring for others and to emphasize the overall message that giving has great impact. They will also be inspired to think about how they can make a difference in their world by conveying the idea that each individual act of kindness makes ripples that affect the world in a positive way.

2. CONFIDENCE
Goals: To illustrate how through Muhammad's self-confidence, he was able to inspire black America during a time of segregation and racism, impact the general public through his outspoken and poetic expressions, and harness the media for his own purposes and create a radically new public image for himself as an African American. Visitors will also have the opportunity to clarify and express and draw on their own core values to create a vision for themselves (to have the confidence to dream big). Through interactivity and storytellers, visitors can hone their skills of building self-confidence and supporting others.

3. DEDICATION
Goals: To convey how Muhammad became a champion through hard work and the support of others. Visitors will be given the opportunity to build on their personal vision and formulate goals and deadlines that will bring them closer to that vision. Storytellers will also provide information about mentors, and visitors will be led through interactive exercises that will help lead them to finding one of their own.

4. SPIRITUALITY
Goals: For visitors to become aware of a higher purpose behind Muhammad's words and actions, and to present a serene (but non-religious) environment that makes visitors feel introspective, calm, and inspired. Through low-key, non-sectarian and non-evangelical examples of spiritual centering, visitors can listen to music and heartfelt words about how spiritual awareness inspires involvement in charitable works, and that people of all faiths-as well as "non-believers"-respond positively and warmly to an essentially humanitarian message.

5. RESPECT
Goals: Convey that although Muhammad is a complex and sometimes controversial person, his respect for others is legendary, inspirational, and apparent to those who come in contact with him. In an open and informal environment, where visitors feel comfortable to "hang out" or kibitz, they will be invited to hone their listening skills, analyze stereotypes, consider others' opinions and beliefs from a variety of perspectives, and demonstrate that our assumptions and stereotypes about others are matched by others' assumptions and stereotypes about us.

6. CONVICTION
Goals: To demonstrate that Muhammad's beliefs led him to take action in ways that were personally risky and publicly controversial. Against the turbulent background of the civil rights movement and a protracted war in Vietnam, Muhammad became a lightning rod for 1960's public opinion. In addition, visitors can partake in an open, engaging, and participatory environment where visitors can explore their own values, and express their opinions and convictions. They will become aware that life choices may often involve personal choice between conflicting values. They will be guided through thought-provoking experiences that show how expressing and acting on their beliefs affects their relationships with others.

Other Highlights:

There will be a separate area that showcases all aspects of Ali's professional boxing career through dramatic multimedia productions, video-on-demand and spectacular lighting. Here visitors can hear the story of Ali's professional career and gain insight into the qualities that made him a magnificent boxer.

Other places of interest will include: distance learning and educational facilities, a finale theatre, a cafe, retail store, 160-seat auditorium, a temporary gallery, archival library, and top-level multi-function rooms that will accommodate up to 300 guests.