Museums at a Crossroads
Museums and cultural institutions are at a crossroads, balancing bold exploration of human experience (art, awe, authentic storytelling) with challenges like decreased visitation and censorship. How can museums forge a path forward with integrity and courage?
What’s Making Us Curious?
Are Museums Prioritizing Audience Development?
“A recent study flags a weakness in how museums approach outreach. After surveying 150 major museums, the study found that museums allocate roughly two percent of their budgets to advertising (as a point of comparison, performing arts organizations spend three or four times that much). This raises questions about whether museums are prioritizing audience development enough, especially as they try to rebuild visitation post-pandemic. What are the missed opportunities, and how can funds be redirected to develop audiences?”
Historical Blasphemy is Here
“This article highlighting recent censorship of a National Park Service exhibit is not the first (nor do we expect it to be the last) case of the current administration’s efforts to control the historical narrative. As we approach America’s 250th anniversary this year, and museums and historic sites launch a multitude of exhibitions and programs commemorating this milestone, we are wondering how the field will grapple with presenting history in authentic and meaningful ways despite these barriers.”
The Connection Between Awe and Health
“UC Berkeley Psychologist Dacher Keltner’s work on awe kept surfacing in our feeds. Dana Milbank from the Washington Post recently covered the work Keltner is doing with the National Gallery of Art on “Finding Awe tours,” and then a past conversation between him and Shankar Vedantam resurfaced in The Reset Button, the final episode in Hidden Brain’s Happiness 2.0 series.”
What’s New At Kera?
Amanda and colleagues from the Visitor Studies Association (VSA) recently published an article in the Journal of Museum Education, “Redefining Visitor Studies for a New Era.” The article traces the history and professionalization of the visitors studies field and describes how VSA has been rethinking its existing Evaluator Competencies framework.
The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center’s new exhibition, How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories, is now open at the National Museum of American History. We were fortunate to work on front-end and formative evaluations of this amazing exhibition, and we are looking forward to a summative evaluation this spring!
Moment of Wonder
“Learning a new skill can feel scary, uncomfortable, or frustrating. And then, all of the sudden, it’s not! This year was our second family ski trip with young kids. Last year, skiing was at the bottom of their list for winter activities. This year, after another lesson, it topped the list! Something clicked, and these kids were cruising down the bunny slopes with all the confidence. It was definitely a proud parent moment."
— Katie
