What Haley Sharpe does

Haley Sharpe Design is a privately held, UK-headquartered creative consultancy founded in 1981 that delivers placemaking, masterplanning, and experience design services to government agencies, cultural institutions, and large-scale destination developers worldwide. The firm operates across three integrated service lines — Planning (strategic visioning, masterplanning, and interpretive planning), Experience (exhibition design and immersive environments for museums and visitor attractions), and Placemaking (branding, wayfinding, and visual identity systems) — and increasingly layers these with bespoke digital companion applications incorporating augmented reality and layered storytelling.

The consultancy delivers project-based professional services through five owned studios located in Leicester (headquarters), Toronto, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, and Sheridan (US), enabling localised delivery for clients across the UK, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Notable engagements include interpretive planning and exhibition design for the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, lead interpretive design for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's West Wing, masterplanning for 40 historic Islamic sites under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and interpretive visioning for the 420-hectare Oman Botanic Garden.

The firm's revenue model is project-based and quote-driven, with work typically won through competitive tender, direct relationship-based business development, and long-term embedded advisory roles on multi-phase programmes. Core technology is interpretive and design-led rather than software-led: bespoke content frameworks, signage and wayfinding systems, tailor-made typefaces, and digital companion apps developed in partnership with third-party technology providers. Key collaborators include Arup Grimshaw (architecture partner on Oman Botanic Garden and other destination projects) and the Islamic University of Madinah (scholarly partner on the Saudi heritage programme). The firm employs 51-100 people across its global studio network, with Gary Walker-Kerr serving as Managing Director.

Name

Haley Sharpe

Legal name

Haley Sharpe Design

Website

https://haleysharpe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Haley Sharpe Design is a UK-headquartered, privately held creative consultancy that provides placemaking, masterplanning, and experience design services to government agencies, museums, and large-scale destination developers across five global studios in the UK, Canada, the UAE, Oman, and the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Consulting Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Exhibition, Retail & Experiential Design (BPAHAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD), Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Design consulting services
• Placemaking consulting
• Exhibition design
• Interpretive planning
• Wayfinding systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Design Services: Project-based consultancy engagements for placemaking, planning, and experience design. Services include masterplanning, interpretive planning, exhibition design, branding, wayfinding, and digital integration for cultural attractions, heritage sites, and visitor destinations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Haley Sharpe is a global creative consultancy that delivers placemaking, planning, and experience design services for museums, cultural institutions, heritage sites, parks, and destination developers. Its work encompasses strategic masterplanning, interpretive planning, exhibition design, brand identity development, wayfinding systems, and bespoke digital companion applications with augmented reality features, serving clients such as the Grand Egyptian Museum, Smithsonian, and Niagara Falls State Park.

Product overview

Haley Sharpe is a global creative consultancy offering three integrated core service areas: Planning (strategic visioning and masterplanning), Experience (exhibition and interpretive design for museums and attractions), and Placemaking (branding and wayfinding for destination environments). The company operates as a unified service offering rather than a software product, delivering comprehensive visitor experience solutions from initial feasibility through to construction and delivery. Their portfolio includes interpretive planning, exhibition design, brand identity development, digital companion applications, wayfinding systems, and ongoing interpretive advisory services for major cultural and heritage destinations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Planning Services Strategic planning and visioning services that transform aspirations into achievable, sustainable, and future-focused plans. Includes masterplanning, interpretive planning, and strategic planning for visitor attractions and public spaces. Targets government agencies, museums, and destination developers.
• Experience Design Services Transforms stories into meaningful experiences through dynamic exhibit design, immersive environments, and multi-sensory installations for museums and visitor attractions. Includes artefact-led journey planning, permanent galleries, children's museums, and conservation centres.
• Placemaking Services Brings places into focus through branding, wayfinding, visioning, and interpretive design to capture authentic stories and create memory-making environments for diverse audiences. Includes brand identity development, signage systems, and visual communication for multi-site destinations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 distinctive multi-layered visitor experiences created for historic Islamic sites
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arup GrimshawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational architecture and engineering firm collaborating on major destination projects including Oman Botanic Garden. Arup Grimshaw serves as architecture partner while Haley Sharpe leads interpretive and experience design.
• Islamic University of MadinahminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution providing historical expertise and scholarly guidance for the 40 Historic Islamic Sites project, ensuring authentic interpretation of heritage sites.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Land Design Studio: UK heritage interpretation consultancy serving museums, historic sites, and visitor attractions with interpretive planning and design. Comparable as a mid-sized specialist interpretive design firm competing for similar UK and international cultural heritage projects.
• Mather & Co: UK-based design consultancy specializing in visitor attractions, museums, and brand experiences. Directly comparable in exhibition design, interpretive planning, and visitor experience work for cultural and heritage clients.
• Ralph Appelbaum Associates: World-leading museum and exhibition interpretive design firm behind landmark projects (e.g., 9/11 Memorial Museum, National Museum of African American History). Directly comparable as a specialist interpretive planning and exhibition design consultancy for major cultural institutions.
• Luci Creative: Experience design firm producing interpretive and exhibition design for museums, zoos, and cultural institutions. Comparable in exhibition design, interpretive planning, and immersive visitor experience delivery.
• Event Communications: London-based museum and heritage interpretive design consultancy delivering permanent galleries and visitor experiences. Comparable as a specialist interpretive design firm serving major UK and international museums and heritage sites.
• BRC Imagination Arts: International experience design firm focused on museums, brand attractions, and immersive storytelling for cultural destinations. Comparable in experience design, narrative-driven interpretation, and large-scale cultural project delivery.
• Thinkwell Group: Experience design and masterplanning consultancy developing museums, theme parks, and cultural destinations. Comparable in masterplanning, interpretive strategy, and visitor experience design for cultural attractions and parks.
• Casson Mann: London-based exhibition and interpretive design studio delivering museum and visitor experience projects across the UK and internationally. Directly comparable to Haley Sharpe in scope of exhibition, interpretive, and masterplanning work for cultural institutions.
• Batwin + Robin Productions: New York-based experience design and exhibit fabrication studio for museums, visitor centers, and brand experiences. Comparable in interpretive and exhibition design for cultural institutions and destination experiences.

Emerging players

• Hopscotch Consultancy: Smaller UK-based interpretation and museum design consultancy serving heritage sites and cultural attractions. Comparable as a peer in the same niche of interpretive planning and heritage experience design, though smaller in scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/haleysharpe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haley Sharpe