Connie--
We have been having this conversation with many of our clients. The answer is that it depends on your specific circumstances and your museum's business model. For community museums with active changing exhibit programs, membership can be a vital way to continually engage area residents and to build your fundraising base. In other cases, perhaps where the collection is particularly compelling to a certain group--a school of art or a historical figure, say--keeping a connection open with that group through online programming linked to a "free" membership may be the right approach. For a destination museum with many one-time visitors "membership" might simply be an email newsletter linked to a low-key annual fundraising appeal that can be used to build a donor base.
In any case, it is important to be in touch with your constituent base, the people who love your museum, whatever you call that relationship.
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Guy Hermann
Museum Insights
Long-range Master Planning for Museums
http://www.museuminsights.comguy@museuminsights.com------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 10-09-2023 10:47 AM
From: Connie Dyson
Subject: Dismantling Membership Program––Pros & Cons?
Greetings, Colleagues,
How common is it for an institution to dismantle its membership program? What are the pros and cons for such an endeavor? What is the long-term impact on museums who have done this? What was the logic or strategy beyond fiscal validation? Should the revamped program be donation-based? What benefits are museums offering long-distance members who are not likely to return on an annual basis? How have museums replaced memberships program with a more viable and value-added program for its members? How does the membership program impact institutional accreditation? Looking forward to feedback from our professional colleagues.
Sincerely,
Connie Dyson
Brand Marketing & PR Manager