As the country rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, how are museums doing? Who is coming to museums and why, how does attendance compare to pre-pandemic norms? What are the barriers to visitation?  On Thursday, November 14, from 3- 4 pm ET, Elizabeth will chat with special guest Susie Wilkening, principal of Wilkening Consulting, about the latest data from the Annual Survey of Museum Goers.  After their chat, participants will join virtual discussion groups to share their own experiences. Join us for some information, support, and empathy from your museum colleagues.

General portions of this Future Chat will be recorded. Breakout discussions will not be recorded and are only available to live participants.

Speakers:

Susie Wilkening has over 25 years of experience in museums, including nearly 20 years leading custom projects for museums as well as fielding groundbreaking national research on the role of museums in American society. As principal of Wilkening Consulting, she provides research leadership for the Annual Survey of Museum-Goers, She is the primary author of most of the infographics Data Stories, which share research findings with the museum field. Additionally, she is the author of Audiences and Inclusion: A Primer for Cultivating More Inclusive Attitudes Among the Public and is the primary author of Life Stages of the Museum Visitor. Susie is a go-to expert on museums for the media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, NPR, and others. Susie earned a BS in History, Technology, and Society from Georgia Tech and an MA from the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture at the University of Delaware. She resides in Seattle, and her husband and curious children often accompany her as she travels to various museums and historic sites.

Elizabeth Merritt is AAM’s vice president for strategic foresight, and founding director of the Center for the Future of Museums—a think-tank and research & development lab for the museum field. She is the author of the Alliance’s annual TrendsWatch report, and writes and speaks prolifically on the trends shaping the future of nonprofit organizations. Elizabeth holds an M.A. from Duke University and a B.S. from Yale University, and attended the Museum Management Institute.

This is the third in a series of Future Chats scheduled in 2024—stay tuned for more details about 2025 programs!

How to Register

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The statements and opinions expressed by panelists, hosts, attendees, or other participants of this event are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of, nor are endorsed by, the American Alliance of Museums.