Museums Work to Tackle New Challenges

Museums are in a period of major change that is often coupled with uncertainty, according to a special supplement in the Arts section of The New York Times.

In the lead article of the supplement, The Times reports that as museums continue to expand and face rising costs, market research has never been more critical for their survival.

Museums today often use new software to obtain a more accurate picture of who their visitors are and to better target their efforts. Glenn D. Lowry, the director of the Museum of Modern Art, explained that his museum found through market research that “we were not drawing as many of the 20- to 30-years-olds that we hoped.” In response, the museum started the “Pop Rally” two years ago, with screenings, gallery tours, collaborations with artists, and concerts.

Under pressure to maintain a healthy base of visitors, as well as to raise capital for expansions and renovations, many museums have turned to the business world to recruit new directors. Curators, however, now are fighting back to obtain these leadership positions.

The Times says that programs such as the Center for Curatorial Leadership, a fellowship effort that provides curators with the management skills, fund-raising tips, and administrative tools to become the next generation of museum directors, is hoping to help shift museum leadership back into the hands of those with art training.

Other stories in the package include:

• A look at efforts by museums to rent out space for special events. These events would include corporate cocktail parties and dinners, events to showcase new products, and even wedding receptions.

• Discussion of how the decision by philanthropist Eli Broad to leave his vast collection of contemporary art in one of his foundations rather than donating it to a museum appears to be causing panic among museum staff members who fear the decision will inspire more donors to do likewise.

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