The COVID-19 pandemic has had huge impacts on businesses everywhere. One industry that has been greatly impacted are museums. How does a business model based on visitors survive when there is a global pandemic?
Museums are being forced to adapt in order to survive. Here are a few of the ways in which they are adapting in hopes of survival.
Take Advantage of Closings
The first thing that museums are doing to adapt is to take advantage of the closings. Maybe there are projects that have been delayed for one reason or another. With the closings from the pandemic, it is a great time to get those changes made.
With renovations or major projects done, it can create a new look and feel for the museum. That gives patrons a feeling that they must see this “new” museum. Plan those renovations around a re-opening event.
Get Topical
Depending on the museum in question, there is a chance to integrate recent history into the different exhibits. The German Medical Museum of Ingolstadt, for instance, created an exhibit called “COVID-19 & History.”
It is a great way to turn the pandemic into something that can be used to create new and different exhibits and features. It also can provide an environment for proper understanding and discussion of what we are enduring as a society.
Digital Collections
The biggest change that museums are implementing is utilizing digital collections. This is a great way to provide accessibility to visitors who may have wanted to come but may not feel comfortable given the current climate and concerns surrounding COVID.
Moreover, it gives visitors different and more convenient ways to see the exhibits they want. Like it or not, fewer people are willing to buy tickets, get in the car, head to the museum, and walk around for hours. Not when they could simply log into the museum website and enjoy a virtual tour from the comfort of their own home any time that they want.