Financial Sustainability

Explore dozens of articles, member resources, and On-Demand Programs on financial sustainability in museums.

6 Data-Tested Approaches to Building New Audiences

By Joseph O'Neill

It’s safe to say that most museums would like new visitors. Visitors actualize museums’ missions, give them vibrancy as places of insight and connection, and contribute to their financial welfare. Even for museums that receive plenty of …
Reinventing Museums: Pandemic Disruption as an Opportunity for Change

By Elizabeth Merritt

Looking for some good things in a terrible time, people have pointed out that air pollution plummeted as the world locked down, sea turtles are nesting undisturbed, managers are realizing telecommuting actually increases productivity, and …
“The museum we closed will not be the museum we reopen.”

By Scott Stulen

Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. The Alliance Blog is supported by membership dues and donations. In these …
Three New Scenarios for Financial Survival in 2020

By Elizabeth Merritt

Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field: The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. The Center for the Future of Museums is supported by AAM membership and …
Strategies for Short-term Financial Survival

By Elizabeth Merritt

Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field: The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. The Center for the Future of Museums is supported by AAM membership and …
TrendsWatch: Building Financial Resilience in a Time of Crisis

By Elizabeth Merritt

Here at the Alliance, we know that COVID-19 is inflicting severe damage on museums. Our sector is just beginning to assess the impact of closures, travel bans, cancellation of major events (including fundraisers), and the implementation of …
American Alliance of Museums Urges US Congress to Include $4 Billion for Nonprofit Museums in COVID-19 Economic Relief Legislation

By American Alliance of Museums

For Immediate Release March 19, 2020 Arlington, VA-The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the only organization representing the entire scope of the museum community, urges the U.S. Congress to include at least $4 billion for nonprofit …
Using Scenarios to Plan Your Museum’s COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Response

By Elizabeth Merritt

Support Free COVID-19 Resources for the Field: The current crisis is taking a distressing financial toll on cultural organizations, and AAM is no different. The Center for the Future of Museums is supported by AAM membership and …
Sharing the Webinar Recording: Creating Sustainable Financial Models for Research Collections

By Elizabeth Merritt

Last month, Jill Parsons at the Ecological Society of America and Judy Gradwohl of the San Diego Natural History Museum joined me online to explore how museums can build income streams around their collections and win hearts and minds in …
Museum Pricing for Affordability and Profit

By Elizabeth Merritt

What does it cost to buy an airline ticket, book a rideshare service, or make a hotel reservation? Nowadays the answer to that question may vary minute-to-minute, as companies use data analysis and clever algorithms to calibrate their …