The Westmoreland Museum of American Art launched a planning initiative last week to support an ambitious strategic plan to increase museum outreach and physical space, develop the collection and capitalize upon its reputation as a prominent repository of American art.

The effort comes in the midst of the Greensburg museum's 50th anniversary year and specifies an increase in gallery, program and support space by 2012.

The goal, said museum director/CEO Judith O'Toole, is "to create a meaningful, dynamic, world-class campus" with "a new addition that moves the museum into the 21st century."

A seven-session design charrette on Thursday brought together 63 funders, community partners, officials from other institutions, volunteers, residents/neighbors and artist/educators.

It was facilitated by Frederick Bonci, founding principal of the Pittsburgh-based landscape architecture firm LaQuatra Bonci Associates. Bonci plans to report on the charrette during an Aug. 12 public meeting at the museum that will elicit further community input.

Working with the public is an important part of the Westmoreland's planning process and that aspect was praised by Ford Bell, president of the American Association of Museums, during his Wednesday keynote address to an audience of 100 museum professionals and community members.

He said that given the state of the economy, expansion might be challenging, but that the charrette itself "shows inclusiveness, community involvement and sensitivity" on the part of the museum. In that regard, he noted, the Westmoreland is "the exception, not the rule."

Bell advised the board and museum leadership to "maintain a clear vision, be aware of the economic climate and, the key, to constantly prove to your constituents that museums matter."

He also noted that the Westmoreland, with its "fabulous collection," is among only 780 of 17,500 museums in the United States that is accredited, the highest ranking a museum may achieve.

There is reason for an optimistic outlook. Bell said that museum visitorship has risen dramatically of late, as it did post-9/11.

The annual number of visits to U.S. museums -- including art, natural history, science, children's, zoos and aquariums -- has reached 850 million, "greater than attendance at all sporting events combined," he said.

As to any deleterious effect that the Internet may have, Bell said there is "this tremendous pull of the authentic that we will not lose." As an example, he said that his young son wants to stand on a battlefield at Gettysburg, not look at in on the Web.

A recent study found that museums and libraries are considered the most trusted sources of information.

"Trust is the coin of the realm for our industry," Bell said. "In a way, it is a sacred trust."

O'Toole said that the planning process has been progressing much better than anticipated.

"Many of the topics that are coming up are consistent: Verifying the need for expansion ... that we need spaces in which we can step up our commitment to the community even though -- or, perhaps, because -- we are currently seen as an important community partner," she said.

Bonci and Bob Shemwell of Overland Partners Architects, San Antonio, Texas have created sketches showing what the museum might look like, including green spaces, O'Toole said.

"I think the general feeling was gratitude for being inclusionary and excitement about the future potential," she said.