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Demographics of US Museum-Goers: 2026 Update

By Diamond Alexander

This visual Data Story is based on findings from the 2026 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, a national survey of American museum visitors from AAM and Wilkening Consulting. Every year, the survey partners with museums to research their …
Embracing Community, Building Membership: Reversing the Decline in Lower-Level Giving

By Anne Bergeron

Recent news from the world of US philanthropy is both optimistic and concerning. On the plus side, according to Giving USA’s 2026 report, a record $617.2 billion was donated to various charitable causes last year, reflecting a 5.7 percent …
Boosting Local Attendance: Practical Strategies for Becoming Your Community’s Third Space

By Chris Morehead

Tourism ebbs and flows. Economic conditions change. Travel patterns shift. And yet, some cultural institutions continue to thrive even in the most uncertain of times. The difference often comes down to one thing: belonging. The most …
Tracking Trust in Museums: 2026 Update

By Susie Wilkening

This visual Data Story is based on findings from the 2025 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, a national survey of American museum visitors from AAM and Wilkening Consulting. Every year, the survey partners with individual museums to research …
The Audience Engagement Tool Hiding in Plain Sight

By Tara Kaushik

Museum marketing and communications teams face a familiar challenge in a cultural landscape characterized by uncertainty. How do we continue to engage audiences and prove our institutions are dynamic, accessible spaces in touch with the …
Participation Over Perfection: Why Museum Brands Belong to Everyone

By Jennifer Harrington

Your museum’s brand isn’t what you say about your institution. It’s the total experience people have when they visit—across every touchpoint, every day. Not just the exhibits and the gift shop, but the tone of your emails, how the …
What the Wright Museum’s Viral Series Teaches Us About Museum Content

By Haydn Corrodus

When the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History launched its now-viral sitcom-style social media series, it didn’t come from a large team, or a Hollywood budget, or a long-term content strategy. It came from a desire to …
AI in Museums and Community Trust: Survey Data

By Diamond Alexander

This visual Data Story is based on findings from the 2025 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, a national survey of American museum visitors from AAM and Wilkening Consulting. Every year, the survey partners with individual museums to research …
Spare Change: A Q&A with Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s Christina Shutt

By Adam Rozan

The saying “a penny for your thoughts” might someday become “a penny for your memories.” After more than two centuries in circulation, the penny had its last minting on November 12, 2025, ending Abraham Lincoln’s 100-plus-year depiction. …
Talking to the Press: How to Excel as a Museum Spokesperson

By Steve Lott

A museum can spend years earning trust only to lose it in a single tense interview. If a funding issue becomes public, an object is damaged, or a protest shows up at the door, you don’t get to “opt out” of communication. In those moments, …