A national research study, Measurement of Museum Social Impact (MOMSI), is working to create a survey to help museums measure their social impact. In this session, hear about the study, its history, and the forthcoming toolkit; preliminary social impact data from MOMSI host museums; and host museum perspectives on how to recruit participants through an equity lens and use social impact data for master and strategic planning, advocacy, and community engagement. PRESENTERS: Emily Johnson, Field Services Manager, Utah Division of Arts & Museums Dean Watanabe, Vice President, and Deputy Director, San Diego Zoo Dan Keeffe, Director of Learning & Engagement, Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens Lorie Millward, VP of Possibilities, Thanksgiving Point Institute Michelle Mileham, Ph.D., Project Manager, Measurement of Museum Social Impact & Accessibility Coordinator, Utah Division of Arts & Museums

1. MEASURING SOCIAL IMPACT
FOR STRATEGIC CHANGE

2. What does museum social
impact mean to you?
How would you define it?
What does it look like in action?
How do you know it’s happening?

3. SOCIAL IMPACT DEFINITION
The effect of an activity on the social fabric of a community and the
wellbeing of the individuals and families who live there.
Continued Learning &
Engagement
Health &
Wellbeing
Valuing Diverse
Communities
Strengthened
Relationships

4. Building on Utah-based
pilot studies, MOMSI is
scaling up and testing
the social impact tool
at a national level.
MEASUREMENT OF MUSEUM SOCIAL IMPACT (MOMSI)

6. WHAT WE ASKED OF HOST MUSEUMS
● Be open to the public (virtual experiences didn’t count)
● Recruit at least 100 participants
● Allow participants - and at least one guest - to visit the museum
three times free of charge

7. SOCIAL IMPACT SURVEY

8. CONTINUED LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT
● I wonder about how things work.
● I incorporate recently learned information into my day-to-day life.
● I regularly visit local museums (could also include zoos, gardens, etc.).
INCREASED HEALTH & WELLBEING
● I am able to bounce back from adversity.
● I am open to new ideas.
● I am confident in contributing my opinion to a conversation.

9. STRENGTHENED RELATIONSHIPS
● It is easy for me to develop social relationships.
● I make it a point to spend time with my friends and/or family.
● I build strong and supportive relationships with a variety of people.
VALUING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES
● I learn new things from people who are different from me.
● I understand how cultures are similar and different.
● I am aware of the challenges faced by others with backgrounds
different than my own.

10. SEE MORE INDICATOR STATEMENTS
& OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS

11. SMALL GROUPS

12. SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Dan Keeffe - recruiting participants through an equity lens
Dean Watanabe - social impact data for community development & engagement
Lorie Millward - social impact data for advocacy & master planning

14. WHAT’S NEXT?

15. SAVE THE DATE
Museum Social
Impact Toolkit
– JUNE 2023 –

16. Advice
What advice would you give museum
professionals using the social impact toolkit?

17. Toolkit
How could you implement this work?
What resources will you need?

18. Learn more at: museumsocialimpact.org
Subscribe to the newsletter
for project updates
See more social impact
survey questions:

19. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
MICHELLE MILEHAM, MOMSI Project Manager
michelle@museumsocialimpact.org | Twitter: @mamileham
EMILY JOHNSON, UT Division of Arts and Museums
emilyjohnson@utah.gov | Twitter: @UtahArtsMuseums
DAN KEEFFE, Los Angeles Zoo
dan.keeffe@lacity.org | Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @LAZoo
LORIE MILLWARD, Thanksgiving Point Institute
lmillward@thanksgivingpoint.org | https://thanksgivingpoint.org/
DEAN WATANABE, San Diego Zoo
dwatanabe@sdzwa.org | Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @sandiegozoo