Encyclopedic Museums Must Focus on the Present
February 18, 2010
An exhibit on the stairs at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (designed by Scott Reinhard) says it all.
As encyclopedic museums transform into active community centers, their focus on the past is directly at-odds with the booming and breathing nature of the urban communities that they serve.
Encyclopedic museums are missing an opportunity. The artwork and happenings of now represent museums’ most direct symbolic connections to the cities in which they are situated.
Traditionally, when you enter an encyclopedic museum, the Greek and Roman sculptures are to one side, ancient Egyptian artwork is to the other, and early European paintings are up the stairs in front of you.We look at art history backwards. We start as far back in history as possible and end up, if we’re lucky, in the back corner of contemporary art— but this is changing.
There are two issues working against museums that are putting current culture in the back corner:
1) Connection to Location: Community
- The problem: We perceive encyclopedic museums to be euro-centric (because often they are), and American visitors touring American cities lose a potential level of connection to the works of art. Tourists visiting New York wish to experience New York– but the bustling contemporary New York art scene is not front and center at an encyclopedic museum– you have to go to the back, or visit an entirely different museum for that. Even New Yorkers visiting the Met are forced to transport themselves mentally outside of their city, and these museums miss the opportunity to summon a sense of pride and community.
- One solution: In a city with limited history like Los Angeles, current cultural happenings are extremely important. Michael Govan, the director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art called L.A. a “city of the present” in a panel discussion last Thursday. This is the driving theory behind putting Chris Burden’s Urban Light, 2008 (an installation of 200 vintage Southern California streetlamps) prominently outside of the museum on Wilshire Boulevard. Govan explains that you experience the present first. It is a nod to the community, and this installation (and thus LACMA itself) has no doubt become a cultural landmark for the city. Los Angelinos can recognize this installation immediately as something 100% L.A. (rather than 100% somewhere else and placed in L.A).
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2) Connections to Time: Relevance
- The problem: Encyclopedic museums risk losing the sense of immediacy associated with current cultural happenings. There are many ways that museums are engaging visitors: social media, community-based programs, and even gambling works of art. But these engagement tactics will not keep museums current on their own if the museum’s basic structure is not built with societal relevance in mind. Encyclopedic museums need to always be at least acknowledging what’s happening right now.
- One solution: The Art Institute of Chicago is a good example of an encyclopedic museum that has recently placed current cultural happenings at the forefront of their community efforts. The museum opened their new Modern Wing in May of 2009. The 264,000 foot building was created exclusively for 20th and 21st century artwork. The addition is so new, so green, and so ideal for events, that AIC has managed to create strong associations between their encyclopedic reputation and their emphasis on the importance of what’s happening right now. Not to mention, the addition makes AIC the second-largest art museum in the united states, building a sense of pride and community mentioned in point #1.
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In sum, there’s often unrealized potential for personal connections in encyclopedic museums. It’s not that the connections aren’t there– it’s that they are in the back. They don’t need to be the main focus of the museum, but it is important for museum relevance and community that they are not forgotten. Encyclopedic museums embracing contemporary and experimental art/science will create a symbolic sense of pride for not only the prized artwork of the past, but for this brief moment in history in which we are living.
After all, one day everything that’s happening right now will be the past. We won’t know how to talk to our children about it because, even though we went to the museums and we lived it, we didn’t realize that right now was just as important as- say, 1640.
When Art Museum Directors Talk Trash, Everybody Wins.
February 6, 2010
Directors at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (Max Anderson) and the New Orleans Museum of Art (John Bullard), after a series of playful trash-talking, have made public bets on who will win the Super Bowl this weekend… and they bet famous works of art.
"Ideal View of Tivoli", 1644, by Claude Lorrain, Which NOMA will loan to the IMA if the Colts win the Super Bowl.
JMW Turner's The Fifth Plague of Egypt, 1800, which the IMA will lend to NOMA if the Saints win the Super Bowl.
The wager: If the Colts win the Super Bowl, the New Orleans Museum of Art will lend Claude Lorrain’s, Ideal View of Tivoli, 1644, to the Indianapolis Museum of Art for three months. If the Saints win, on the other hand, the Indianapolis Museum of Art will lend out Turner’s The Fifth Plague of Egypt, 1800.
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But it doesn’t matter who wins the Super Bowl this Sunday. Anderson and Bullard are winners in spreading their missions either way– just because they made the wager. Here’s why this bet is a step forward for museums in terms of mission and community engagement (and the reasons are cooler than you think):
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1) The bet will build community and mix popular cultures.
Makes sense, right? Being a sports fan builds a sense of community; it’s something that a group of fans come together to care about. The art directors’ bet piggy-backs the art museum culture with the sport-watching culture, which is one of passion and identity. And why shouldn’t communities feel the same sense of ownership and connection with their city’s art museum as they feel with their city’s sport teams? Anderson and Bullard are demonstrating pride in their cities by making the wager, and aligning themselves directly with the members of the community- all of whom are also hoping for a win on Sunday. Anderson and Bullard are saying that the museum cares about a win just as much as the rest of Indianapolis and New Orleans do- and they’ll put their money where their mouth is. In turn, the community knows that folks representing the IMA and NOMA will be gasping, cheering, and shouting their lungs out along side them as they are watching the game; it’s a powerful thing. On the first day that the Lorrian is on display at NOMA (or Turner at IMA), a local will stand in front of it and say, “We won the bet!”
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2) Scientifically speaking, the bet lights up the brains of art-lovers.
… but not in the way that you’re probably thinking. Many museums have missions to educate- and this public wager does just that. Of course, you learn a thing or two about art while looking over the give-and-take that led to the final wager (I certainly didn’t know that the Indianapolis Museum of Art owns a farm). Interestingly, a 2008 study from The University of Chicago finds that spectators’ brains light up when talking about sports, and their language skills are improved. According to the article, “the region of the brain usually associated with planning and controlling actions is activated when players and fans listen to conversations about their sport.” Most obviously, the bet encourages museum-fans to watch their city’s team (if only for hope of gaining a Turner or a Lorrain in their town) and art-lovers are exposed to this benefit. Or at least I will be, as I was neutral about the outcome of the Super Bowl until I realized that I will be in Indiana in the Summertime…
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3) The bet makes art aficionados biologically happier.
To non-sports fans, the bet may seem silly– but sports fans are less prone to depression than those disinterested in sports. Gambling also increases dopamine levels in the brain, making fans– of the museum and the teams–happier. It’s a welcome change of pace, especially since human beings are hardwired to avoid conflict and we usually think of museums as on the same team. This is not to say that art museums should go betting works of art left and right, but it is to say that the friendly competition is an exciting and healthy change for museum lovers. After all, scientists credit social competition for human beings’ increasing brain-size. So thanks for keeping us happy, Anderson and Bullard– and for expanding our brains.
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4) The bet has sass- and so do museums.
This wager makes Robert Smithson look silly for saying, “Museums are tombs, and it looks like everything is turning into a museum.” Well, at least the first part looks dumb. Case in point: check out these trash-talking (friendly) tweets. Anderson and Bullard challenge the notion that museums are cold, static, outdated, and lifeless places. These museums have attitude, and they are acting in regard to current real-life situations. As for the last half of Smithson’s quote, it seems that everything is turning into a museum– or more accurately, museums are turning into places for everything… like friendly community-building wagers.
Decline of the MBA, Increase in Social Good?
January 5, 2010
In November, The Economist wrote an article predicting the decline of the MBA in 2010. It calls the MBA a mythical cupid attracting the nation’s best and brightest to a less than respectable academic discipline. “The decline of the MBA will cut off the supply of bullshit at its source,” the article reads.
The recession is pin-pointed as the catalyst for this change, as MBA graduates emerge with few opportunities and “nowhere exciting to go” for the second year running. After 2009, the banking rep is not all that it used to be– and five of the top ten best-performing American CEOs in 2009 didn’t have MBAs at all (including number one: Steve Jobs).
Harsh as these assessments may be, the decline of the MBA just makes sense. After all, the world continues to move. For about 20 years in American history, it was good to be a farmer. Then, it was good to work in the automotive industry. Then (and perhaps ending now), it was good to have an MBA. We’re all dreaming bigger, and even this progression outlines the American desire to climb the economic ladder.
So, I’ve been thinking: What if this decline is a good thing? What if it’s one of the best things for social change? I’m not a hater of the MBA. On the contrary, I’ve considered getting one and my own degree is in management. Nonetheless, here are five positive changes that may result as the status of the MBA declines:
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1) We’ll need heightened creativity and community engagement in order to succeed.
We’ve learned that you don’t need an MBA to be successful in business. Our nation’s most successful entrepreneurs are known for thinking outside of the box, not for following a hierarchical system. If the MBA is no longer the passport to success, we’ll let our creative juices flow until the next thing arises. Great things could happen. But, as we watch Pepsi step back from fancy Super Bowl commericals in order to engage and support the community, and as the onset of the social media revolution has us building communities online, signs point to a possible continuing increase in community engagement.
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2) There will be a re-vamp of the MBA program that may result in an emphasis in social good.
Business schools, like all schools, want to attract students in order to make money and continue growing their programs. If less people are becoming interested in an MBA, the programs will have to evolve in order to meet the changing needs of society (this is much like what is going on right now in museum studies graduate programs). MBA programs may incorporate more classes in law, policy, or social work– whatever it is that is trending and may make them successful. The result? More well-rounded (or perhaps more specialized) MBA candidates. The academic approach involved in the MBA will change– and if they follow current trends in corporate social responsibility and Gen Y’s desire to make a difference, these programs may focus increasingly on social good.
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3) More left-brained thinkers will go into socially beneficial occupations.
As the Economist article states, there’s been a glamour associated with majoring in economics or business, and in obtaining an MBA. But with that glamour diminished, left-brained folks may not have such a clear path to success. In short, we may have more left-brained thinkers using their talents to cure cancer rather than trying to make Mr. Moneybags an extra couple thousand dollars on the trading floor (social vs. individual benefit). Also, we could really use more math and science teachers.
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4) There will be attention given to other sectors.
Studies have shown that where Generation X dreamed of working for big businesses, members of Generation Y are flocking to Teach for America, the PeaceCorps, and jobs in the public sector. In fact, Generation Y is thought to distrust big businesses and they have been called a generation of civil servants. This fact, combined with the decrease in glamor associated with the MBA, may shift national focus to the many important jobs to be done in the public and nonprofit sectors.
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5) A different bottom line may arise (or qualitative outputs will be more easily understood).
I’m not even going to hint that money doesn’t make the world go ’round in many ways but, if there’s an increasing focus on the public sector, there’ll be an increasing focus on program evaluation– and money may not be the most obvious bottom line for the average American. The public and private sector are struggling with regard to measuring social impact, and they are feeling the pressure to measure social benefit in some quantitative way. If there’s a shift toward social good, they’ll be more understanding of public and nonprofit sectors, and this public understanding will allow nonprofits to function more efficiently (it may be socially acceptable to pay nonprofit CEOs competitive salaries without high administration costs preventing them from obtaining grants). In short, the decline of the MBA will change the landscape of the private sector, and the landscape may become more leveled with public and nonprofit sectors. What we know of business– chasing money above all else and using it as the primary bottom line– may be challenged.
*Photo credits: Salvatore Vuono
Nonprofiteers: Personal Branding Makes You Better At Your Job
December 17, 2009
Photo from brandyourselfmarketing.com
There are many benefits to personal branding and utilizing social media–of sharing your insights and telling your story for whatever reason, whether it be to market yourself as an ideal job candidate, to share your experiences, or even to snag a great date.
But nonprofit employees also know the importance of sharing insights and telling stories in nonprofit organizations. Desired outcomes of programs are not primarily monetary– and sometimes entirely intangible for that matter. Nonprofits often rely on personal stories to communicate their need, their potential, and their impact.
So why are nonprofits (known for being slow to pick up new technologies) dominating the social media scene in comparison to private companies? It’s because social media is about personal connections and telling stories… and well, that’s just our thing. Nonprofits like people who can get the story across with authenticity and honesty while making a connection– and a good personal brander can do just that. I have noticed that the young nonprofit millennial bloggers who have been most successful within the industry are sincere and passionate. They know that it’s important to brand themselves, and they are onto something: personal branding will help you be a better nonprofiteer.
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- If you can create connections through your blog, then you can help people connect to those in need.
Just as personal branding enthusiasts aim to display how they can contribute to an organization or corporation, nonprofits are similarly trying to demonstrate their ability to contribute to social change. Beth Kanter outlines four ways in which social media is changing the nonprofit world, and they all strengthen organizations’ ability to create connections. There’s a shared drive in personal branding and nonprofit organizations: the desire to communicate your potential power to ignite positive change. In personal branding, you are sharing your own story, values, and goals– so that you can get hired. In nonprofit organizations, you need to be able to share the story of your organization, and their values and goals– so that they can get funding. Moreover, you’ll often have to share others’ stories to get your point across (the story of the needy family who was helped by the organization, or the story of the child whose life was saved because of your organization’s research). Making personal connections through storytelling is an important aspect in fundraising and communicating an organization’s impact. Those who are engaging in personal branding have an element of practice in telling stories and making connections. After all, these tips on how to write a story are equally relevant to personal branders and nonprofit employees, though they are written by fundraising123.org.
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- If you are active in social media and joining networks, then you can expose many people to a cause.
Did you know that 60% of folks who set up twitter accounts fail to return the next month? It is incredible when you consider that the site creates siginifcant networking, info-sharing, and message-speading opportunites. If you’re one of those 60% who didn’t return to your account, then you should think about coming back– because just the sheer act of being involved in social media will make you a better nonprofiteer. According to The Herald News, 89% of charitable and nonprofit organizations are using some form of social media, and 57% reported activity in blogging. Network-increasing capabilities aside, it’s beneficial to know about twitter and other social media sites so that you can help guide your nonprofit organization– espeically if you’re a member of Generation Y. Companies and organizations are looking to these folks to be social media savvy. If you’re not, then you’re wasting an opportunity. The greatest reason to be involved on these sites is oviously that they increase the size of your network, and expose you to a lot of great thought leaders. The more people that you can reach, the more connections you can make to social causes. Also, people can help you spread your personal brand or social cause. If they are inspired by it, they just might pass it along.
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- If you are authentic in your branding and communications, then you can retain supporters and summon potential donors
There is no doubt that it’s best to be an authentic blogger and personal brander. Copyblogger brings up a great point that authenticity is becoming (if it isn’t already) a buzzword in personal branding, and that it takes a good story and authenticity to have impact. The take away is simple here: be real. And I’ve found that many personal branding nonprofiteers are real; they display their struggles and concerns working within the industry. Allison Jones explores her rendezvous with nonprofit burn-out, and Elisa Ortiz candidly traces her roots in the nonprofit sector. The kind of authenticity and transparency displayed on these blogs serve well in making connections and building trust with readers. Similarly, trust and authenticity are also important in nonprofit organizations for a number of reasons. Many of the qualities that make a person a captivative blogger also make them good at connecting with other people– and that’s what nonprofits are about: making connections to inspire support for social change.
Popular iPhone Applications to Aid Museum Marketers
September 26, 2009
Just conducting a quick search on an iPhone app store reveals that folks weren’t joking: there really is an app for (absolutely) everything. Thus, it’s no surprise that cultural centers are actively tapping into ways to utilize iPhone apps. There seem to be discussions and brainstorms everywhere about the best ways for museums to do this.
But until your organization hooks up with an iPhone application developer so that you can pull a Smithsonian (or ‘pull a Brooklyn Museum‘, if you prefer) by creating your own iPhone application, don’t forget that there are many popular applications available right now that can help you to market your museum.
Ian is the cofounder of AppstoreHQ, a startup specializing in iPhone application search and discovery. As you can imagine, he has a good sense of which apps are high in demand. He was kind enough to give me a short tutorial on widely used iPhone applications, and upon hearing his thoughts (and piecing together my own knowledge of popular apps), I’ve uncovered three applications that present cool marketing opportunities for museums and cultural centers.
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1) Foursquare: Reward your Mayor.
Whenever my boyfriend suggests a date night, I know exactly where we’ll go: for burritos at Machos Tacos and then to share a cupcake at Alcove. How do I know that we’ll do this? Because he is involved in a ferocious battle to maintain his mayorship on foursquare at these locations.
Foursquare allows users to “check in” as they visit locations throughout the city. There are several badges that folks can receive when they check in at different places. For instance, a “School Night” badge is awarded when a person checks in someplace after 3:00 am on a school night, and a “Adventurer” has checked in at ten unique venues. Similarly, a user is named the mayor of a location when he or she has the most check-ins at that location. The app proves interesting because it plays into human loss aversion, as it can tweet when you’ve been ousted as mayor at one of your favorite places. A trip back to the venue may restore your mayorship, and thus this application often has it’s users maniacally rushing back to their favorite locations so that they can check in.
There’s a good chance that your cultural institution already has a mayor (check here). So what, you ask? Well, some businesses are already utilizing this mobile application as a cool marketing tool by offering discounts to their mayors to keep them coming back to claim and reclaim the title. Museums and cultural centers might do well to follow this lead. Offer free admission for a guest, or a pair of tickets to an upcoming event to your mayor – and ask foursquare to post that information on the website. Not only will you incite some competition for mayorship, but my boyfriend and I will most likely incorporate your institution to our weekly date nights.
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2) Yowza!! Show your Goods (and Friendliness) in an Economic Recession
Yowza!! finds deals in a geographic area and displays them to users. If you offer 10% off at your museum shop, you’ll pop up as a good destination for deal-loving visitors… and attract a user who might have otherwise tried to find a birthday gift for their child at a place like Target. Museum shops have a lot of educational and fun items to offer! Could you buy astronaut ice cream or a Frank Lloyd Wright Art Glass Coloring Book at Target? I don’t think so. At a museum shop? You betcha.
Many of the offers featured on this application are arranged directly through Yowza!! Give it a shot and capture a few unique visitors who’ll appreciate your discount and discover that your museum shop is a great resource for educational toys and activities– and other generally cool items.
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3) Urbanspoon: The Olive Garden… Morton’s… Corner Bakery… Museum Cafe?
I remember first hearing about Urbanspoon at the end of 2008 and it’s no surprise that this application is (and has been) a huge hit since then. The application allows you to find restaurants in your area by filtering price, neighborhood, and cuisine. Can’t decide where to go? Give your iPhone a shake and this application will randomly come up with a suggestion.
Because this application is widely used in urban areas, I was surprised to learn that only three museum cafes are listed in Chicago and even fewer are listed in Los Angeles! And it’s really easy to add your cafe to the application. So where’s the museum cafe love on Urbanspoon?!
There you have it: three (of many) applications that can be utilized to market museums and cultural centers. What have you got to lose? Developing a presence on these already popular applications won’t take much effort. Moreover, involvement is likely to increase attendance and aid your institution in evolving to meet the needs of an increasingly app-savvy community.
Please share any applications that you’ve found helpful and would like to add to the list!
55 Low-Resource Ways for Museums to Connect with the Community
August 19, 2009
photo from artolog on flickr
“It’s not about the collections anymore… It’s about community.”
This is what a recent article by the Christian Science Monitor says in regard to museums, and it nicely sums up the discussion in the museum blogging community on the transformation from the static object-based museum of the past, to the dynamic community-based institution of the future.
So how does a museum transform into such an environment? I like Megan Blankenship’s notion that this process may perhaps align more closely with a revolution rather than through slow adaptation. This begs the question of what can be done now to summon community interaction. In an effort to aid museums in this transformation without losing sight of their mission, Nina Simon offers eight ways for museums to connect with community. I think one solution lies in museums positioning themselves as cultural centers and integral aspects of the local/regional community.
Here are 55 relatively low-resource ways for museums to connect with the local community. I present a brainstorm of middle-sized items that come in between (the obvious) smiling to welcome visitors and the (time and resource required) launching of a new outreach program or grant-funded initiative. Several museums already utilize a number of these ideas. I hope to compile an easily accessible and quick list of little ways for museums to create a connection with the community while respecting their brand and promoting the museum.
I had to stop at 55 as I noticed that this list really is endless. Please feel free to comment with your own thoughts and suggestions!
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Keep a list of the dates, and send museum members small a gift on their birthday.
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Add an “Interview with a Local Expert” section to your newsletter.
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Offer a free program.
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Highlight free coffee for members on Sunday mornings.
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Start a blog and use it to instigate discussion.
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Add a public forum for thoughts and opinions to your website.
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Allow visitors to make video responses at the museum– like these videos shot at the Mattress Factory.
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Start a science cafe. (if you haven’t noticed, I love these!)
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Highlight local experts on site.
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Seek opportunities for curators and museum professionals to serve as guest lecturers at local schools and universities.
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Ask staff members to take 10 minutes each day to interact with visitors.
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Supply staff members with educational items or “did you know” facts to facilitate interaction.
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Participate in local parades.
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Host a science fair or an art exhibit with the work of local adults or children.
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If you can’t host a fair, go to one and give out an award to a qualified participant on behalf of the institution.
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Set up craft projects that make a difference or have meaning in the local, national, or global community.
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Hold a book drive.
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Provide small, branded lab notebooks or sketch pads (just a few sheets of printed paper is all that they’ll need- no fancy binding necessary) for visitors to fill out and take home.
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Create a low resource scavenger hunt, and offer a small gift at the information desk (pencil, sticker, etc) to those who complete the hunt.
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Celebrate with the community! Give out candy or subject-appropriate treats on Halloween.
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Wear “Ask me about Membership” buttons.
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Host a camp-in for kids in the community.
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Offer free hours of admission when possible, even if it’s just for a specified demographic such as teens, college students, the elderly, etc.
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Put your events on community calendars.
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Create a calendar of relevant events for adults in the community and post it on your website.
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Use this calendar to help create community partnerships with organizations that have a similar mission.
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Complement exhibits with interactive and educational craft projects.
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Ask for feedback (on blogs, written or electronic surveys, etc).
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Ask visitors to write their favorite museum memory and post it to a memory board. Have the board out for public viewing so that participants know that their positive experiences have contributed to the museum in a physical way.
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Thank your donors when an exhibit is a success– but don’t forget to publically thank your broader community as well.
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Have recommended reading lists available and have the books available at the bookstore, if possible.
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Encourage visitors to share their own stories on your blog.
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Know the local school curriculum, and explain to teachers how your museum complements that curriculum.
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Have a connection with at least one person at every school in the county (but shoot for 3 or 4 surrounding counties).
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Create a network of teachers and send them useful ideas of how to offer extra credit by visiting the informal learning environment of the museum. If you can, give the teacher passes to events so these kids get in for free or reduced rates.
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Hold large scale, educational special events or celebrations if budget allows.
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Coordinate a debate with local industry leaders to take place at the institution.
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Hold a training for local scientists/artists to provide skills for communicating with the public in regard to complicated, academic material. The link is to a grant-funded project, but this could be done on a smaller scale.
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Know the talents of staff members, and utilize their talents (as oragami specialists, or watercolor artists, or something else exciting, educational and relevant) to create a low-resource program.
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Award “shout outs” in your newsletter to highlight the accomplishments of individuals or institutions in the community that have succeeded in an area related to the museum.
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Offer a unique class through a community partnership by giving a handful of passes to instructors, who may later offer them as a benefit to paying clients.
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Utilize community resources. Need face painters for an upcoming event? Call the local art school and ask for volunteers.
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Wouldn’t it have been cool if you your senior prom was in the museum? Teens are a tough demographic for museums. Market this angle. There’s plenty for them to learn at the museum as well… just be sure to keep dancing away from valuables.
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Along these lines, tap into teen volunteers in the community.
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Start a Flickr photostream.
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Ask for papers that visitors write/ have written on objects in the museum and post them to the website if they are appropriate (and help give them some positive google- recognition).
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Have a Facebook page.
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Create an iTunes iMix for your institution with fun songs related to the museum and exhibits (ex- Walk like an Egyptian).
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Compile an iTunes iMix like above, but use songs that are more directly academic or relevant (ex- cultural songs pertaining to the exhibit).
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Make videos of interviews with your curators and put them on YouTube.
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Arrange a flash mob. Hey, it’s an idea!
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Ask your intern to write a series of posts about his/her adventures within the institution with thoughts about events and exhibits. I simply must write in a shout-out to Web Developer (Stan) and Web/Special Events Intern (Evan) of Pacific Science Center here.
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Manage a document that lists staff members and the languages they speak. Sort this list by language.
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Add a “Focus: Museum Staff Member of the Week” to your newsletter that allows readers to understand job functions and specialties at the Museum. Include interesting facts and allow this to offer a special behind-the-scenes look at the museum.
