+1 310-795-5765 mike@lutzstrategies.com
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Signature Experiences

for Museums & Cultural Attractions

Mike Lutz headshot

Mike Lutz is an international consultant guiding cultural attractions to technology and signature experiences that breathe new life into their mission and tell their unique stories better than ever before. 

Mike specializes in revitalizing brands and radically expanding relevance via never-before-possible immersive exhibits and theatres.

“If Mike Lutz is on your team, great things are going to happen.”

“A very strategic resource in the entertainment and education space.”

Bringing new

  • Enchantment
  • Authenticity
  • Flexibility
  • Immediacy
  • Diversity

To

  • Art Museums and Centers
  • Aquariums 
  • Botanical Gardens 
  • Children’s Museums
  • Destination Visitor Experiences
  • Natural History Museums
  • Performing Arts Centers 
  • Science Centers and Museums
  • Theme Parks
  • Zoos

What Experts Say

Experience

Lutz moderates a “New Immersive Programming” professional development session co-hosted by the International Planetarium Society (IPS) and GSCA at the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) 2024 conference.

Mike moderate an experts panel at GSCA LED Dome Day
Mike moderate an experts panel at GSCA LED Dome Day

Lutz moderates a panel of world-leading immersive producers and experts at the 2022 industry milestone Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA) Film Expo.

Cosm

Director of New Business Development at the pioneering “Shared Reality” entertainment venue network premiering in mid-2024.  Cosm-branded venues feature a recently patented ultra bright and extreme high resolution compound curved LED screen to stream live sports, new immersive art and innovative enrichment experiences.

Evans & Sutherland/Spitz, Inc.

VP of New Business Development at the world’s leading producer of planetarium systems and provider of the most advanced  design and manufacturing services for dome screens. Developed a new business XR pilot project for exhibitions for cultural attractions expanding community engagement beyond their location. Cosm acquired E&S/Spitz in 2020.

IMAX Corporation

VP, Institutional Sales and Client Services at world’s leading immersive cinema company that first originated in branded cultural attractions such as science centers, natural history museums, aquariums, destination centers. Represented IMAX worldwide to those original kinds of attractions, shepherding their transition from the original 15 perf/70mm film projection format to proprietary digital laser projection systems.

MacGillivray Freeman Films

President of Distribution Company, SVP for Business Development at the world’s leading giant screen film production and distribution company.  Licensed films for 14 years to cultural attractions around the world, including Asia.  In later years, I also led campaigns to attract other film investors into the production pipeline and developed key parts of MFF’s “One World One Ocean” initiative.

Laser Fantasy International

VP, Theatre Operations at a seminal laser display company.  Led and vastly expanded LFI’s operations, including marketing, programming and employee management.  Specialized in providing off-hours entertainment to science center planetariums in the US and Canada.

ProMedia/Double Tee Concert Promotions

Account Executive  Managed media buying and promotions for Oregon pioneer concert promotions company presenting emerging artists like k.d. lang and Robert Cray Band, and staging legendary shows like Dylan and The Dead, Sting, Bonnie Raitt and Whitney Houston.

Consulting Projects

Smithsonian Enterprises

Washington, DC
Principal Director: Zarth Bertsch, Director, Theaters

Worked to co-issue a report with Diane Carlson of Giant Screen Consulting on possible programming launch strategies for National Museum of American History’s Warner Bros. Theater re-boot for 2018.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Delaware North, Merritt Island, FL
Principal Director: Therrin Protze, COO

Developed selection criteria and made recommendations on the 2018 conversion of the conversation of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s IMAX film theatre to digital projection.

Destination Cinema

Manhattan Beach, CA
Principal Director: Bob Perkins, CEO

Worked with entire leadership team to evaluate strategic expansion plans for Destination Cinema to re-establish a giant screen film distribution arm through new films in production.

Development Service Expertise

  • Dynamic programming
  • Premium display hardware
  • Story production 
  • Distribution

Trade Association Leadership

Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA)
  • 6-term Member, Board of Directors (12 years)
  • Founding Co-Chair, Industry Leadership Committee (Current)

Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)

American Alliance of Museums (AAM)