From For-Profit to Nonprofit: Evolution of the International Spy Museum
Next up in my exploration of museum business models, a conversation with Tamara Christian, president of the International Spy Museum. The Spy Museum is the first museum I’ve found that has operated as both a for-profit and a nonprofit …
(Co)Working in a Museum
In a 2017 post on this blog, Tui Te Hau, the director of the Te Papa museum’s Mahuki innovation accelerator, offered some advice for museums considering starting their own coworking spaces. In today’s post Cindy Foley, Executive Deputy …
Two Scoops: The Museum of Ice Cream
A recent discussion thread on Museum Junction debated whether the Museum of Ice Cream really counts as a museum. I’m interested in why they choose to self-identify as a museum, and what value that has contributed to their brand. …
Doing More with More: Investing in Earned Income
As the saying goes, “it takes money to make money.” Often museums feel they can’t risk their slim financial margin on speculative ventures, but not taking such risks comes with a cost as well—the cost of lost opportunities. In today’s …
The Museum of Sex: What’s it like to be a for-profit museum?
I’ve long wanted to learn more about the very few museums in the US that operate as for-profit organizations. Why did their founders choose not to go the more common route of incorporating as a nonprofit? Are they actually making money? …
Growing Audiences with the Annual Survey of Museum-Goers
Who visits our museums? What are their motivations, and what do they expect from the experience? Alternatively, who is not visiting, and why not? These are critical questions for the future of individual museums, and for the entire field. …
Financial Sustainability Is Everyone’s Responsibility
Prepared Remarks of Laura L. Lott President & CEO of the American Alliance of Museums Opening General Session of the 2019 Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo May 20, 2019 Good morning and welcome to the 2019 AAM Annual Meeting, the largest …
Read Up on Financial Sustainability for #AAM2019
This year’s AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo carries the theme of “Sustaining Vibrant Museums,” a nod to financial sustainability. While financial sustainability might sound like a specialized concern, only relevant to …
Nothing Ventured…:The San Diego Natural History Museum’s internal venture fund is encouraging experimentation and growth.
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2019 issue of Museum magazine, a benefit of AAM membership. Museums subsisting on tight budgets often don’t prioritize taking risks and experimenting with new ideas. Yet, museums that don’t …
Museopreneur: How museums are leaping into new business models with entrepreneurial spirit
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2019 issue of Museum magazine, a benefit of AAM membership. mu·se·o·pre·neur | myüzē-äp(r)ə-ˈnər Noun: one who embraces or assumes characteristics of an entrepreneur to advance their …
