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  • Towards a New Mainstream?

    Museums & Society 2034, this figure always makes museum folk sit up and take notice. Changing composition of America (U.S. Census Bureau/Reach Advisors) It dramatizes the growing disconnect between the population of the U.S., which is …
  • Dialogue Centres—Wave of the Future?

    This week’s CFM guest blogger is Robert Janes, editor-in-chief of Museum Management and Curatorship, Chair of the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley and former president and CEO of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Canada. (Hence the …
  • Bidding War for New Museum

    Back in May I fantasized about a future in which cities bid for museums, competing with offers of support and location, in order to attract valued cultural amenities. Now this is is actually happening in California, where Santa Monica, …
  • You Get What You Measure

    Two watch words often thrown about regarding the future of museums are “transparency” and “accountability.” The former is getting easier and easier to achieve—what excuse is there, really, for not having your museum’s audited financial …
  • A New CFM Resource

    In case you haven’t noticed, CFM launched an e-newsletter a few weeks ago. Edited by AAM’s Asistant Director of Research. Phil Katz, Dispatches from the Future of Museums presents weekly content on trends, projections, museum …
  • 2009 American Life and Culture Report

    Back in April, we encouraged CFM readers to participate in a new study of cultural consumers, the American Life and Culture Survey. (AAM was a co-sponsor of the project.) The preliminary results of the survey have now been released – and …
  • Making the Most of the Traditional Business Model

    Elizabeth Merritt, founding director of CFM has encouraged me to share some insights from my experience as director of the Children’s Museum of Richmond (CMoR) in dealing with the current economy. Elizabeth has confirmed my feeling, based …
  • Links for Green Rangers

    Last week we introduced you to the (first) Green Ranger: Stephanie Almeida, who took up CFM’s challenge to explore the environmental impact of museum conferences. She’s attending the Western Museums Association meeting in San Diego …
  • Meet Me in Houston, and Let’s Aim for the Stars!

    Want be a pioneer in the ranks of museum futurists? Read on. CFM has on its to-do list starting a Museum Forecasting Network. The Network will draw on the experience of a diverse group of museum practitioners to preview trends within …

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