At a time of economic recession, museums are called upon more than ever to demonstrate their public value while simultaneously finding funding for their work. This series of case studies examines how three museums balance mission-based programming with generating revenue for their organizations. The Newseum, in Washington, DC, has repurposed…

In these difficult financial times, it is more important than ever to manage money carefully. Educators who don't do so are vulnerable, for despite a thirty-year history of increasing authority and status within and without the museum, education departments are still more expendable than curatorial or collections departments in some museums. This…

Education programs are increasingly appealing to all types of funders and should not be overlooked in a museum's fundraising efforts. The economy and the rise of private family and corporate foundations make funders more and more interested in the enhanced and lasting impact museums can make in their communities. (Contains 4 notes.)

Portfolio analysis is a simple yet powerful management tool. Programs and activities are placed on a grid with mission along one axis and financial return on the other. The four boxes of the grid (low mission, low return; high mission, low return; high return, low mission; high return, high mission) help managers identify which programs might be…

Museum leaders around the country are in the midst of examining and changing their business models in response to new economic realities. Museum educators have an opportunity to play a leading role in this endeavor. To do so educators must understand the relationship between money and mission. For too long there has been a belief that the…

Striving to provide public good and maximize public value strike many as highly abstract and idealistic ideas. Written in the form of an interview, this article, written from the perspective of a practitioner, addresses some of the pragmatic issues that arise when trying to conceptualize approaches to museum offerings and demonstrate their…

For this author, the in-depth conversation about Comprehensive Interpretive Plans (CIP) began at an AAM Task Force meeting in May of 2004. Building on that initial discussion, the author explores the reasons, costs and benefits of engaging in the CIP development process, and makes the case for the museum field to develop proficiency in this…