The bMuse Way
My Philosophy
Go Green and Prosper. Green is mainstream. Green behavior is part of responsible management and community engagement. Conserving resources, the world's and our own, supports your mission financially and philosophically.

Sarah S. Brophy
I am a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED-AP O&M) helping clients develop and fund sustainable museums, zoos, gardens, aquariums and historic properties. help you go green by:

• Assessing sustainability practices and potential,
• Working with you to develop sustainability plans and refining new practices,
• Creating and propagating sustainability programming,
• Leading LEED Certification projects for Existing Buildings,
• Anticipating sustainability changes and innovations to help you stay ahead.

Sample Projects

• The Detroit Zoological Society for green strategic planning and for a LEED-EB project
• The Peoria Riverfront Museum where we are designing a site tour for the opening of their green building – LEED Gold expected
• A partnership between The University of Maryland Extension and museums in the state to co-produce sustainable living programs for the public

I also make presentations on museums and sustainability all around the country, teach "The Green Museum" at The George Washington University, and have written three major articles for Museum, the flagship publication for the American Association of Museums, and a book called The Green Museum – A Primer on Environmental Practice with my colleague Elizabeth Wylie.  

What bMuse Does
Green Decision-Making
When you’re making decisions about capital investments, museum design, program directions, or investments:

• We translate sustainable language into museum language and help you ask the right questions, and consider the important issues you need to be informed
• We can be the interpreter between you and outside contractors

Green Teams; Green Plans
I help develop your green team and work through the process of gradually greening your institution.

• This means creating a sustainability plan (just as you have a collections plan or an interpretive plan) and defining the practices to support it.
• This includes changing habits and learning new methods, reviewing vendor practices, assessing purchasing and waste management, and connecting you with partners who can share resources and information.

As a green team facilitator I help you develop the team, conduct institutional assessments, develop goals and a work plan, and keep you on task to green your museum.

Green Property Interpretation
I create onsite and online interpretative content for buildings and landscapes to help share your sustainability message and reflect ongoing sustainability work at your institution.

Green Public Engagement
I help you create real and virtual community engagement projects that go beyond teaching sustainability to engaging the community active change.

Project Administration for LEED-EB O & M projects
I shepherd your project’s pre-assessment, LEED registration and the LEED certification process, helping manage the credit responsibilities and documentation through to the LEED plaque award.

Anticipating Sustainability Changes
Where else can you go to find other art museums testing energy efficiency and collections care, to find about new social media sustainability tools, or to understand what changes in the law will affect your institution?

How bMuse Works
We start with a conversation and a chance for us to review materials about you and what you're interested in. Then we develop a draft work proposal for you to consider. It may set out the work in phases or in one fell-swoop depending upon your situation. We will give you not-to-exceed prices for finite projects and government grant applications. For other projects, you can choose payment arrangements by-the-hour or by retainer. If we reach a point where we provide continuing organizational support then we agree upon a monthly retainer. Contact me at sarah@bmuse.net. I am eager to learn about your needs.

Sample Client List (Past and Current)

The Detroit Zoological Society
Dumbarton House - National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, Washington DC
Habitat for Humanity – Choptank (MD)
Maryland Rural Development Corporation
New York Historical Association and The Farmer’s Museum
Peoria Riverfront Museum