Are museums facing disruption? What are some disruptive forces that Mia encounters?
Like corporations, museums face disruptive forces.
First, the demographics of the communities we serve are changing. It places a responsibility on the museum to learn and listen to our communities to determine how best to serve current and future populations. The Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota) will become a „minority majority” area by 2040. Recruiting, hiring and supporting diverse talent, from staff to board level, is essential to fostering an inclusive workplace to do our work effectively. Aligning our skills with the culture and communities we serve.
Technology has clearly changed the way we live. People are disoriented as a result of living in a culture marked by technology-induced immediacy. Traditional communication channels are disappearing and the use of social media is increasing and we are disconnecting from each other. We can think of this growing gap between people as an empathy deficit. We believe that museums provide an opportunity for people to reconnect and recharge. They can also help close empathy deficits by helping people connect with one another. In a fast-paced world, Mia is challenged to maintain our high caliber while delivering responsive, relevant exhibitions and programs and using multiple communication channels.
There is always a struggle for funding. It needs to show a return on investment – proving that art in all its forms delivers essential and positive impact on people’s lives. We see its essential nature manifest in many ways, such as providing a sense of purpose, learning or community for both individuals and families, as well as stimulating curiosity and bringing new perspectives. We collect and provide metrics that show our impact. Mia relies heavily on the use of data, which is still relatively new in the museum world.
How does Mia fare on top of these disruptive forces?
Tracking trends is critical to what we do. In times of change, we must look outward. In both our current (Mia Strategic Plan 2021) and previous (DNA) strategic plans, we incorporate both “state of the field” and “state of the world” environmental scans to inform our work.
We continue to discuss the state of the art world by promoting museum-world publications such as the Center for the Future of Museums at the American Alliance of Museums. TrendsWatch It brings together museum-related research, projects and blogs.
But we also scan and analyze trends in non-museum sectors and platforms so that we can understand and respond to what is happening in the wider world, and play an active role.
