A purpose-driven university museum

Abstract

University museums expend much energy dividing their time, staff, and resources serving the needs of both the academic institution and the surrounding community. Not only does this often duplicate efforts, but can lead to either faculty and student disenfranchisement if the museum focuses more effort outward or to jeopardizing precious town/gown relations if the focus is too much inward. Through careful consideration of mission, implementing strategic planning that involves all stakeholders, and evaluating the impact of the mission on its audiences, the university museum can transform itself into a purposeful museum and address this audience conundrum. This paper will present the Hood Museum of Art’s two-year initiative to demonstrate that through realigning its purpose and practices towards cultivating teaching and creating meaningful learning encounters, the museum, the university, and the community benefit equally.