Category Archives: F

What it means

Free means eliminating the price for a museum offering, program, or initiative (e.g., “The program is free to attend” or “Admission to the museum is free”).

Free can have significant benefits to the public, the organization, and the community. When costs are removed for the audience, accessibility improves; however, it is important to recognize that for the organization, free comes with unavoidable costs and consumption of the organization’s resources. It is also important to acknowledge that there are hidden costs of participation for the audience as well (e.g., transportation, parking, food, or even opportunity cost of what else could be done with one’s time).

How it’s used

A museum can offer programs or admission for free on a periodic or permanent basis to support the museum’s mission or for marketing purposes.

Permanently free admissions or program offerings can also have the potential to reduce perceived value, commitment to attendance, and/or reduce the amount of time a visitor spends at an exhibition or event.

Free is not a substitute for direct invitations to a particular community to visit or attend. The museum should not assume that being free is sufficient as an invitation to participate, especially for minority or traditionally underserved communities.

Why it matters

Free admission or free programming is an important tool to increase access, particularly local community access to the museum and its programs.

For the public as well as the staff, it is important to communicate the value the offer brings despite its being free. Furthermore, appropriate public recognition should be given to the supporters that made free admission or programming possible.

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What it means

Financial health is measured by a museum’s ability to raise and maintain revenue and balance expenditures. Revenue can be earned or contributed and is used to fund its staff, operations, programs, and facilities.

Financial sustainability is dependent on sound strategic planning and developing diverse revenue streams including ticket sales, membership, shop sales, paid programs, subscriptions, partnerships, donations, endowments, government support, and more.

How it’s used

A museum must recognize financial matters as mission critical, articulate financial goals, strategies, and responsibilities, and ensure that annual budgets are developed and adhered to accordingly.

Why it matters

The fulfillment of a museum’s mission is dependent on and energized by its sustained financial health. Only a sustainable museum can continue to add value as well as economic vitality to the communities, the public, and the region it serves. Also, a sustainable business model is paramount in order to be able to weather economic downturns.

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