Great question, Ellen!
I've been keeping a close eye on this space for a while now, and it's safe to say that there is no consensus. While NFTs are a fascinating evolution of the digital economy and have lots of potential for revenue generation, the past weeks have shown us how volatile and speculative cryptocurrency and NFTs are.
We are bound to see just as many headlines "Museums Are Cashing In on NFTs" (New York Times) as we are "4 reasons why museums aren't cashing in on NFTs yet" (The Conversation), and what works for one museum might not work for another, but such is the case for just about anything.
At a minimum, if you're interested in seeing how museums are engaging with the topic of NFTs in these early days, we've compiled a list of who is doing what (selling NFTs, hosting lectures, acquiring NFTs, etc.)
Also worthy of note, @Elizabeth Merritt (AAM's Center for the Future of Museums) wrote an insightful piece in March which provides a great primer and questions to ask yourself if you're considering exploring NFTs for your museum. Highly recommended read.
Hope that is helpful, and just like you, I'm also looking forward to other comments, thoughts, etc. on this topic!
------------------------------
Brendan Ciecko
CEO & Founder
Cuseum
Boston MA
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 05-26-2022 11:35 AM
From: Ellen Endslow
Subject: NFT's - current thinking?
Short post here to find out about the current thinking regarding NFT's and museums. Hot topic? Waning topic? Here to stay? What is an NFT?
Looking forward to comments and/or links that encompass successes and challenges.
------------------------------
Ellen Endslow
Director of Collections/Curator
Chester County History Center
West Chester PA
Chester County History Center
------------------------------