MCN 2026

What does it take to navigate last-minute resistance on the eve of a collections-wide portal launch after two years of planning and execution? How do you avoid the derailment of an already moving train?

In mid-2025, The Huntington launched a pan-collections portal that combines our three collecting divisions —the Library, the Art Museum, and the Botanical Gardens— into one cohesive discovery platform on our main website.

The objective was straightforward and in-line with our 5-year strategic plan: create a simple, navigable, and accessible online space for casual users to explore all our collections without having to navigate three separate formal research sites. Although the launch of this discovery portal took nearly two years of planning and execution, at the midnight hour, we experienced a near mutiny from our curatorial teams who were unaware of and expressly displeased with the need to consolidate cataloging and metadata practices to a cross-divisional level. They felt like they were losing control over the collections they're responsible for, and they didn’t like that. 

This is a case study of how the discovery portal team had to quell anxieties and problem-solve our way into proceeding with an imminent launch, despite objections.

We will discuss the development and execution process, where things went wrong, and the steps we took to address these last-minute concerns and build trust among our internal users, particularly our curators.

We will also cover what sustainability looks like after implementation: governance, clear decision rights, documentation, and a workable path to raise issues, so problems aren’t solved ad hoc—or by the loudest voice.  Attendees will leave with a fresh perspective on how disagreements, especially at the most critical moments, are opportunities for positive change and encouragement in team building and trust-building.