Discussion paper: Museums & Society 2034: Trends and Potential Futures
What challenges will society and museums face in the next quarter-century? How will the demographic profile of America change between now and 2034? How will energy and infrastructure costs affect the sustainability of museums? What are the likely impacts of today’s educational and regulatory priorities? What will Web 3.0 – or 5.0 or 6.0 – look like? Will the “real” survive the assault of the “virtual”? Will the number of leisure-time alternatives continue to grow? Will the lines between work and leisure, public and private, continue to blur? Most importantly, how will museums face these challenges and shape the future they will have to inhabit?
To find out, the Center for the Future of Museums (CFM) commissioned this discussion paper on social and cultural trends and their potential effect on museums. The report was prepared by James Chung, Susie Wilkening and the staff of Reach Advisors – a marketing strategy and research firm with extensive experience in the museum field – in consultation with CFM staff and outside experts.
This paper is designed to be a catalyst – a fact-based platform for further exploration, and refinement rather than the final word on museum trends. In that spirit, CFM will host discussions on the paper online and at the 2009 AAM Annual Meeting in Philadelphia and a scenario-planning session led by a prominent futurist.
Download a PDF of the paper here.
Read the press release here.
Give us your feedback here.
Join the authors for a live "Museum Conversation" about the paper on February 9, 2009. Details are here.
What challenges will society and museums face in the next quarter-century? How will the demographic profile of America change between now and 2034? How will energy and infrastructure costs affect the sustainability of museums? What are the likely impacts of today’s educational and regulatory priorities? What will Web 3.0 – or 5.0 or 6.0 – look like? Will the “real” survive the assault of the “virtual”? Will the number of leisure-time alternatives continue to grow? Will the lines between work and leisure, public and private, continue to blur? Most importantly, how will museums face these challenges and shape the future they will have to inhabit?To find out, the Center for the Future of Museums (CFM) commissioned this discussion paper on social and cultural trends and their potential effect on museums. The report was prepared by James Chung, Susie Wilkening and the staff of Reach Advisors – a marketing strategy and research firm with extensive experience in the museum field – in consultation with CFM staff and outside experts.
This paper is designed to be a catalyst – a fact-based platform for further exploration, and refinement rather than the final word on museum trends. In that spirit, CFM will host discussions on the paper online and at the 2009 AAM Annual Meeting in Philadelphia and a scenario-planning session led by a prominent futurist.
Download a PDF of the paper here.
Read the press release here.
Give us your feedback here.
Join the authors for a live "Museum Conversation" about the paper on February 9, 2009. Details are here.