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 …
In Which Penny and Frank Wash Up at the Villa
The best part of futuring is inviting other folks to play along. For the fifth entry in my 2008 diary of the future, I recruited my real-life companions to contribute to the plot, and they jumped in with gusto. (Thank you Penny!) We …
(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 …
My Story Part 4: How to Get Trapped in a Tuscan Villa
Ten years ago, when I wrote my fictional diary of 2019, I used the scenario created by the Institute for the Future for the Superstruct forecasting game as a lens through which to reexamine my daily life. On the way to work, I’d …
When Museum Neighbors Include Neighbors without Homes
TrendsWatch 2019 draws attention to the rising rates of homelessness across the world, including the U.S., and profiles the work of several museums working specifically with and for people experiencing housing insecurity. But many museums, …
Day 3: A Visit from the Authorities
This is the third installment of a “diary of the future” I wrote a decade ago, exploring what the world might be like in 2019. My story takes place in a scenario created by the Institute for the Future for their Superstruct forecasting …
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. …
Day 2: Settling In
This is the second installment of “My World 2019” a fictional diary I wrote in 2008 to explore the scenario created by the Institute for the Future for their Massive Multiplayer Online Forecasting game Superstruct. I’m …
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 …
My story, Part 1 (October 7, 2019)
When CFM launched in 2008, one of our first capers was recruiting museum people into Superstruct, the Institute for the Future’s Massive Multi-player Online Forecasting game. Over the course of three months, 7000 players transported …
