Posts
Mission & Institutional Planning
Point of View: The Era of Traditional Planning Is Over
“‘Inconceivable!’ You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” —Mandy Patinkin, in the role of Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride This article which appeared …
New TrendsWatch! Navigating a Disrupted Future
In a normal year, TrendsWatch explores the impact emerging forces of change may have on museums in the next decade or longer. Some, such as demographic shifts, affect all museums in the …
onePULSE, Many Perspectives: Collaborating with Diverse Stakeholders to Develop the National Pulse Memorial & Museum
In the aftermath of a tragedy, there is no one way for communities to grieve and heal. This is especially true when the event impacts people on a national or even international scale. The …
TrendsWatch: Building Financial Resilience in a Time of Crisis
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 …
Sustainable Investing: A Practical Guide for Museums – Part 1
Earlier this year a guest post on this blog advocated for museums harnessing their endowments to mission-related goals through a financial practice known as impact investing. In today’s …
Double Duty: How a historic botanical garden reached a balance in managing its plant and art collections
All museums face many challenges maintaining and displaying their collections. But these challenges are exacerbated when collections of vastly different needs and care protocols share the …
Pursuing Learning through Intentional Practice
Most museum staff yearn to affect those who visit their museum; they want to create meaningful experiences that will be remembered long after people’s encounters. Stephen Weil believed that …
A Case Study—in Progress—of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Brand Refresh
With the arrival of a new director and CEO in 2016, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco expanded its largely encyclopedic approach to art history by introducing a curatorial department …
Attack of the 100-Year Old Startup
At first glance, museums and startups may not seem to have an overwhelming amount in common. The majority of museums are not-for-profit, mission-driven institutions and operate in a …
Killer Mike, the High Museum’s Newest Board Member, on How He Wants to Make Art More Accessible to the Working Class
“I’m a product of the High Museum. I’m a product of Atlanta. I’m a product of the Atlanta public school system. The Atlanta public school system and the High, in my day, were …
What is our museum’s social impact?
In this article, Kelly McKinley describes the steps the Oakland Museum of California has taken to better understand and measure how it has made a difference in the lives of its community …
Restructuring Nonprofit Organizations: Mergers, Acquisitions, Consolidations, Partnerships and Separations
*Please note that I am not your attorney, I am not giving legal advice and there is no attorney-client relationship. All legal questions should be directed to your legal counsel. This …