Museum Membership Innovation: Unlocking Ideas for Audience Engagement and Sustainable Revenue

While there is no shortage of ideas when it comes to reversing the trends in attendance and membership, there is little time to waste in finding a viable way forward. Museums must first identify the right target audiences and remove the barriers that are hindering participation.

Although generational study is more art than science, consensus among researchers has found the millennial mindset to be well defined when it comes to a desire for experiences that are interactive, immersive, seamless, and participatory. For better or worse, millennials’ expectations and attitudes have deeply influenced a future that is already tak

When we think of marketing, the aspects related to promotion are usually what come to mind. Promotion includes all of the tools available to the museum to market its membership program, such as brochures, direct mail, social media, earned media, email marketing campaigns, and pay-per-click advertising. The brand strategy, messaging, creativity, and

Museums would be wise to do more to help transactional members understand that there is an important distinction between joining and giving.

six characteristics that provide important distinctions among member involvement as signified by their motivations, values, and needs, including (1) centrality and pleasure; (2) desire to learn; (3) escapism: spirituality and creativity; (4) sense of belonging and prestige; (5) physical; and (6) drivers of involvement.40

As you think about the things you are measuring today, ask yourself why you’re tracking those specific metrics. Is it because they truly help you make strategic decisions? It’s worth noting that, just because something can be measured, doesn’t mean it should be measured. The only metrics museum leaders should invest time in measuring are those that

What about the reasons for becoming a museum member? Research indicates that traditional members value six key benefits: free admission, belonging, supporting the organization, contributing to mission impact, exclusive access to events, and member discounts.6 Of note, younger audiences express different motivations for joining. While free admission

Instead, people are motivated to participate in a cultural activity because it fulfills a specific need—a desire to have fun, to feel less stressed, to experience new things, to learn something, or to spend time with friends or family.5 Thus, the museum serves as an enabler, helping the visitor accomplish a specific goal—a job to be done.

For example, millennials expect transparency, results, recognition, and technical savvy from nonprofit organizations. And despite a strong inclination to give, research finds that millennials tend to favor causes related to education, social-need charities, animal welfare, civil rights, and the environment above arts and culture.14