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 members.
One idea we find ourselves returning to often throughout this process is that we have financial sustainability as one goalpost, social impact as the other goalpost, and that every program and activity we undertake needs to fall somewhere between them.
Trying to understand and measure how our museum changes lives in our community. When the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) first opened its doors, it was considered a "people's museum," a place for the city of Oakland to celebrate the art, history, and natural sciences that shape California's identity.
