{"id":5647,"date":"2021-02-16T09:30:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-16T08:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tiqets.com\/?p=5647"},"modified":"2023-07-03T10:59:26","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T08:59:26","slug":"how-to-attract-millennials-to-your-museum-the-complete-marketing-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/venues\/blog\/how-to-attract-millennials-to-your-museum-the-complete-marketing-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Attracting Millennials to Museums: Your Complete Marketing Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Attracting millennials to museums isn\u2019t as hard as it might seem. It does require more than contrived Instagram photo opportunities and the offer of a craft beer (although this can definitely help; more on that later).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The elusive bracket of visitors born between roughly 1982 and 2000 are a key demographic for museums who want to be \u2013 and stay<\/em> \u2013 relevant. They\u2019re a varied, diverse group, 46% of which have children of their own. Millennials combined with Gen Z make up approximately 63% of Earth\u2019s population<\/a> in 2019. That\u2019s a lot of potential visitors.

Tackling the millennial stereotype is a key part of unlocking their potential, but this has proven tricky for an industry that\u2019s all about tradition.

One common misconception is that millennials aren\u2019t interested in visiting museums. They are; they just want it in a more colorful outfit.

Another idea is that they are anti-social. While the Net Generation are often more attached to their smartphones than their vital organs, it actually means they\u2019re more <\/em>social and reachable than ever before.

The new breed of museum-goers are drawn to interactive learning and tactile experiences. They want to feel part of an exhibition and go away feeling both educated and entertained. Edutainment is key, and there\u2019s endless opportunity to provide it. It\u2019s a concept at the very heart of museum culture!

Millennials want to share experiences: with their friends, with their families, with the guy or girl they met on a dating app a few hours earlier. The trick to harnessing that social sensibility is providing an experience that millennials see as worthy of their time and energy.

While still a necessary pillar of the museum offering, traditional content like text-based displays, guided tours and audio guides can be as appealing as a trip to the dentist for millennials.

With these notions in mind, here are some creative marketing strategies for museums which can provide \u201ceasy\u201d wins in the battle to attract millennials, with best practice examples from some forward-thinking venues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Reconsider traditional opening hours<\/font><\/strong><\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n


\u201cIf you\u2019re basing your opening hours solely on tradition or on when your staff think you should open, it\u2019s highly likely you\u2019re missing a large part of your community.\u201d<\/b><\/font><\/p>Carly Staughan, MuseumNext<\/a> <\/cite><\/b><\/font><\/font><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re making plans with a group of friends, how often is finding a time to suit everyone the biggest hurdle? Quite a lot, right? The same can be true for your audience.

As with any B2C business, the customer comes first. It\u2019s about being representative of your community, and part of that is working to their hours, not yours.

This doesn\u2019t mean unlocking the doors and leaving the janitor to explain the exhibits (although we\u2019re sure Bert would do a mighty fine job). It\u2019s about making your venue fully accessible in a world increasingly less dependent on a 9-5 workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Provide for different audiences<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take California\u2019s Exploratorium as an example. This San Francisco science museum attracts more than 800,000 people each year, with a mission to create inquiry-based learning through interactive exhibits. Perfect for those inquisitive millennials.

However, their core audience is families. So how do they reach the scores of culture-hungry young professionals without<\/em> kids that inhabit San Francisco?
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\u201cIf your daytime hours are heavily attended by those with children in an almost 100% interactive museum, that experience can be overwhelming to adults without kids.\u201d<\/b><\/font><\/p>Jason Davis, Director of Marketing at Exploratorium <\/cite><\/b><\/font><\/font><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Thursdays After Dark<\/em> allows Exploratorium visitors to get lost in over 650 interactive exhibits surrounding perception, art, and science. It\u2019s the same museum, minus the hordes of excited children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n