About Us
At Road Map, our mission is to equip cultural professionals worldwide with the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to embark on transformative interpretation plans that celebrate powerful histories and connect with audiences.
Our Story
We are Kara and Katrina - sisters, business partners and passionate advocates for empowering museums and cultural organisations. As the co-founders of Road Map, we’ve dedicated our careers to empowering museum professionals with the skills and confidence to create transformative visitor experiences. Our background as Directors of Metaphor, a global exhibition design studio, means that we have worked on a range of projects from interpretation plans and museum redisplays to designing entirely new cultural destinations.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a seismic shift in the cultural landscape. Many museums have faced mounting challenges: shrinking budgets, evolving visitor expectations, operational changes and the need to deliver more with less. While globally renowned institutions are witnessing a gradual rebound post-COVID, many are still striving to reach pre-pandemic visitation levels and/or provide new, exciting experiences on their shoestring budget.
This spurred us to reflect on the sector's landscape. How can we support museums and galleries around the world to become resilient, engaging and thriving cultural destinations while working within these constraints?
We believe the answer lies in equipping museum professionals with the skills to design and deliver their own interpretive strategies. Interpretation is the powerful intersection of curatorial storytelling and design thinking, helping museums bring their collections to life and shape visitor experiences to be interactive, inclusive, and deeply impactful. By teaching museum professionals the skills in interpretation design, we aim to reduce reliance on external consultants and empower teams to take ownership of their vision.
Through our work at Metaphor, we’ve helped institutions around the world develop interpretation plans, design new museums, and transform existing spaces. Now, with Road Map, we’re sharing this knowledge directly with cultural professionals. Our online masterclasses are specifically designed to help museums unlock their potential—giving teams the tools to shape visitor journeys, craft compelling narratives, and create exhibitions that resonate deeply with diverse audiences.
Even for institutions with skilled teams, staying ahead of global trends and best practices in interpretation is essential. Visitor needs are changing, and interpretation has evolved from static storytelling to dynamic, audience-focused experiences that incorporate technology, multiple perspectives, and multisensory design. That’s where Road Map comes in.
Interpretive masterclasses that will give you the confidence to create impactful visitor experiences, secure funding for new projects, and drive innovation—ensuring your museum remains relevant and resilient in a fast-changing world. Together, we’re shaping the future of interpretation, and we can’t wait to guide you on your journey.
Meet The Team
Kara Dickinson
Kara brings over a decade's worth of experience in the cultural industry working on a range of masterplans, feasibility studies, interpretation plans, exhibition design projects and museum design for cultural clients worldwide. Kara's clients include Winchester Cathedral, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Science Museum, Perth and Kinross Council, Scottish National Gallery, British Museum, V&A, and National Museum of Ireland to name a few, with several projects smashing client audience targets and going on to win multiple industry awards.
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Kara is a qualified architect, but her expertise extends far beyond the conventional. She possesses a wealth of experience in translating complex histories into thoughtful designs, understanding different visitor needs, and designing impactful visitor experiences that support the achievement of a museum's objectives. Her projects also have a proven track record of driving visitor numbers and she holds a 100% success rate of achieving HLF funding for her clients.
Kara has worked alongside museum teams through difficult transitional periods and shown flexibility and adaptability to support them as their needs changed throughout a project. Now, she is here to share her expertise and knowledge with museum professionals worldwide as a dynamic expert in the industry.
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With Kara leading the masterclasses, you can rest assured you will leave with a set of practical skills you can use to drive change for your organisation.
Katrina Dickinson
Katrina’s extensive career across marketing, business development, event planning, and community engagement has uniquely prepared her to lead the delivery of Road Map’s masterclasses. Her experience spans the private, public, and third sectors in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
She understands the pressures museum professionals face globally—tight budgets, demanding schedules, and the drive to innovate—and she’s committed to making Road Map a valuable and accessible resource for all participants.
At Road Map, Katrina ensures that every aspect of your training experience is tailored to your needs. She’s the organisational powerhouse behind the scenes. Her ability to anticipate and address your needs ensures a seamless experience, allowing you to focus on building the skills that will transform your museum practice offering support at every stage of your journey. Katrina’s personal commitment to inclusivity, wellbeing, and collaboration drives her passion for helping you thrive and succeed.
With Katrina’s guidance, Road Map isn’t just a masterclass—it’s a personalised, professional development journey designed to help you succeed. Whether it’s answering your questions, ensuring smooth access to our digital masterclasses, or adapting to your feedback, Katrina is dedicated to supporting your growth every step of the way.