Michael Maggio is principal and director of MENA operations at Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), a multidisciplinary firm specialising in planning and designing museums, exhibits, educational environments and visitor attractions.
His experience as a designer, architect, and educator informs his multifaceted role at RAA, where he is responsible for all aspects of the firm’s portfolio of work in the MENA Region. From business and relationship development to creative direction, he sets goals and objectives, monitors performance, and ensures world-class outcomes and cultural experiences for clients.
He excels at unifying interdisciplinary creative teams of architects, designers, curators, producers, and executives. He has been instrumental in furthering the firm’s presence in the Middle East and North Africa and has played a critical role in relationship fostering and capacity building in the region’s countries. Michael Maggio is particularly adept at “thinking outside the box” and has brought new ideas to his projects that have transformed the relationship between visitor and institution. One of his ideas allowed for an entirely customised visitor experience that reacts to the needs and motivations of individual visitors in real-time.
“Michael has demonstrated time and time again that he has a fantastic ability to work collaboratively and supportively across disciplines, weaving together immersive exhibitry, cutting-edge media, thoughtful narratives, and even live animal displays into breathtaking experiences,” says one of the people who nominated him.
“He understands how to do all this without falling into gimmicky traps or sacrificing an exhibition’s long-term viability or “evergreen-ness.” His design vision is wide-ranging and deeply creative. Yet, he retains a commitment to the fundamental principles of storytelling and embodied visitor experience, resulting in museums that push the boundaries on what is possible without forgetting that their audiences are living, breathing people.”