Shop Talk: How Museum Retail Stores Elevate Visitor Experiences (DATA)

A museum’s retail shop can have a much bigger impact on guest satisfaction than leaders may realize. Here’s the data.

Last week, I had the great pleasure of keynoting the Museum Store Association’s MSA Forward conference in Denver. The theme of the keynote was how retail experiences can underscore cultural organizations’ missions.

The research is clear: These experiences can play a meaningful role in reinforcing the uniqueness of both an organization’s mission and the individuals who support it; they can help attract, renew, and retain members; and they can help commemorate and reinforce...