This document discusses how museums can use data and digital platforms to increase engagement. It describes the Dallas Museum of Art's "Friends" free membership program, which collects data on participation. The data shows differences in demographics and participation across Dallas zip codes. This indicates museums can use digital tools to better understand their audiences and create more inclusive experiences. The document advocates exploring a national digital network to connect museums and drive engagement.

1. Flickr Credit ~annstheclaf
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS
How a Platform of Engagement can Drive Decision-Making and
Impact in Museums
Robert Stein
Deputy Director
Dallas Museum of Art
@rjstein

2. Flickr Credit ~fab05
70% OF THE GLOBAL
POPULATION WILL
LIVE
IN ONE BY 2050
CITIES
Source: Guardian Cities, Jan 2014
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/jan/27/guardian-cities-site-urban-future-dwell-
human-history-welcome

3. CITIES NEED CREATIVE PEOPLE
cited by 1500 CEO’s as the single most
crucial factor for future success
IBM, 2010 http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/31670.wss)

4. Flickr Credit ~5tons

5. Armory Show – Chicago, 1913
ARE MUSEUMS
ADAPTING?

6. The work of organizing
museums has not kept pace
with the times. The United
States is far behind the spirit of
its own people…
This can not long continue. The
museum of the past must be
set aside, reconstructed,
transformed from a cemetery of
bric-a-brac into a nursery of
living thoughts.
A NURSERY
OF LIVING
THOUGHTS
Goode, G. Brown. 1891. The
Museums of the Future.
Washington, DC: Government

7. The Largest Art Museum in the Region
111 Years Old
Supported by the City of Dallas
NOT a Tourist Destination

8. The 2010 U.S. census reports that only 14.5% of US
Adults visited museums in the prior 12 months
(Census, 2012).
8%Dallas = 6.5M People - 500k Annual Attendance

9. ENGAGEMENT?

10. ENGAGEMENT?

11. ENGAGEMENT?

12. HOW DO YOU MEASURE
WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE?
Flickr Credit ~liquoredonlife

13. IS IT POSSIBLE TO CREATE
A PLATFORM FOR ENGAGEMENT?

14. CAN DATA HELP CREATE
A MUSEUM THAT IS
AGILE AND RESPONSIVE?

15. METRICS
WE CARE
ABOUT
1.Repeat visits
2.Diverse participation
3.Increased affinity
4.Ability to motivate action

16. MAKING NEW
FRIENDS
A Free Membership
Program

22. Current Software Architecture

23. DOES IT WORK?

29. Bobby

30. http://dma.org/friends/by-the-numbers

31. http://dma.org/friends/by-the-numbers

33. http://dma.org/friends/by-the-numbers

34. 7521775216
75206
75214

35. A TALE
OF
TWO
CITIES

36. $- $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 $70
75206
75214
75216
75217
Texas
Thousands
Median Household Income
75206
75214
75216
75217
Texas

37. 0 10 20 30 40
75206
75214
75216
75217
Texas
Median Resident Age
75206
75214
75216
75217
Texas

38. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
75206
75214
75216
75217
Texas
Percentage of Family Households
75206
75214
75216
75217
Texas

39. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
75206
75214
75216
75217
Speak English at Home
Speak English at Home

40. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
75206
75214
75216
75217
African American
Asian or Pacific Islander
Indian
Mixed Races
Others
White

41. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
75206
75214
75216
75217
High School or less
High School Graduate
Bachelors or Associate
Degree
Graduate Degrees

42. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
75206
75214
75216
75217
Owner Occupied
Renter Occupied

43. 7521775216
75206
75214

44. ?
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WHAT MIGHT A NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT
NETWORK LOOK LIKE?

45. VISION PILOT PROJECTS
• Denver Art Museum
• Grace Museum, Abilene
• LACMA
• Minneapolis Institute of ArtsFOUR PILOT SITES

46. MOST IMPORTANT
OUTCOME
THANK YOU!
@rjstein