Art museums are facing unique challenges in today's digital age, from declining attendance to limited funding and constrained staffing resources. To combat these challenges, many have turned to cutting-edge solutions like digital membership programs and customer relations management (CRM) software. As the digital era accelerates and the demand for efficiency and engagement rises, creating a seamlessly unified membership program is more important than ever. Enter Cuseum and Tessitura, a partnership already delivering success for art museums around the world. With Cuseum’s suite of digital tools easily integrating with Tessitura, museums and arts organizations have the opportunity to streamline processes, increase revenue, and provide the ultimate end-to-end visitor and member experience.
Join us as we will explore some of the amazing organizations that have implemented our solutions to modernize their operations, boost engagement among members, and cultivate member loyalty.
1. Museum of Fine ARts, Boston
Image: Museum of Fine Arts Boston; Source: Boston Magazine
The iconic Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston is a must-visit for travelers from around the world. Its collection of 500,000 works “tells the story of the human experience—a story that holds unique meaning for everyone.” With more than 1.2 million visitors a year, it is one of the most visited art museums in the world.
Not long after working with MFA Boston to launch their MFA Mobile app, the museum took their member engagement strategy to the next level with Cuseum’s Digital Membership solution. The MFA is able to send digital membership cards to members in record time while freeing up staff time and saving on postage costs. Since launching their program in 2021, the museum has been able to effortlessly deliver the convenience and value of digital membership to their base of over 50,000 members. With the Cuseum’s digital membership solution in conjunction with their robust CRM, MFA Boston has supercharged their membership operations and fostered a space of creative and cultural enrichment sure to engage and delight audiences for years to come.
2. Asian Art Museum
Image: The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco
Located in the vibrant city of San Francisco, the Asian Art Museum offers an immersive journey through 18,000 unique pieces from both ancient and modern times. From jade carvings to video installations, visitors can explore this magnificent collection while taking part in myriad enriching cultural celebrations and educational public programs. More than just a museum - it is also an oasis for exchanges between individuals of diverse backgrounds aimed at cultivating understanding and empathy within the global community.
In striving to provide maximum value for their 15,000 members, the museum decided that it was time to go digital. With a smart new approach featuring digital membership cards they can now offer cost savings and improved convenience while ensuring accessibility thanks to compatibility with mobile screen readers and other tools. Plus, added bonuses like promotional discounts that bolster overall member satisfaction.
By leveraging Cuseum’s Digital Membership solution, museum not only enhances their digital capabilities, it also saves both time and money by eliminating the need for physical card distribution. Furthermore, it can establish new outreach channels by utilizing push notifications and SMS Text Messaging – which boasts astounding open rates as high as 98% – to keep members informed of important information and offers. This, in turn, can drive renewals by sending timely reminders to members before their membership expires.
Digital membership delivers more value for members, too – with digital cards, the Asian Art Museum offers convenience and instant gratification to their members, who will receive their card and real-time updates faster than ever before, and who will see their card automatically appear when they are near the museum!
By enabling them to streamline member processes and gain a deeper understanding of their visitors, Cuseum enables the museum to provide more personalized experiences and improve engagement.
3. Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Image: Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Source: https://mcachicago.org/
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) is among the largest institutions globally devoted to contemporary art. With over 12,000 member households and a collection comprised of over 2,000 pieces, it “boldly interweaves exhibitions, performances, collections, and educational programs to excite, challenge, and illuminate our visitors and offer insight into the creative process.”
The MCA is committed to serving both present and future audiences by collaborating with the community to create opportunities for dialogue, education, and growth. As part of their commitment to deliver more value, they decided to seek out an alternative to the cost, hassle, and waste of traditional physical membership cards. With digital membership cards, they found a solution that is more cost-effective for them and convenient for their members – plus, this environmentally-friendly program helps them fulfill their mission of sustainability!
One of the most significant benefits of the MCA’s digital membership program is the ability to support the museum's mission and programs. By becoming a member, individuals are helping to fund the museum's exhibitions, educational programs, and community outreach initiatives, which promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of art and culture.
The museum credits their member base with much of their success. “With [member] support, 10,000 Chicago Public School students can tour the museum each year, living artists and performers can create new work, and much more.” We can’t wait to see how its newly-launched digital membership program helps the MCA continue to optimize its membership operations and generate crucial support for its mission and programs, allowing it to deliver increased value to its constituents and create more engaging experiences than ever before.
4. High Museum of Art
Image: High Museum of Art; Source: www.inexhibit.com
The High Museum of Art, situated in the heart of Atlanta, boasts a vast collection of over 18,000 works of art that encompass various mediums, including an extensive anthology of American fine and decorative arts from the 19th and 20th centuries, burgeoning collections of contemporary art, such as paintings, sculptures, new media, and design.
In 2020, the museum partnered with Cuseum to launch its digital membership program. Since then, they have served over 80,000 members with digital membership cards – providing a convenient, eco-friendly alternative to traditional membership. They have underscored their commitment to sustainability by reducing their paper & plastic waste, lowering their fossil fuel consumption – and, given their members the convenience of easy mobile access, on-demand museum information, and automatic updates upon renewal.
In the following years, the partnership grew to include a self-serve Member Portal – providing its constituents with a central, unified solution for all their membership benefits – and Guest Pass Referrals, which allowed them to unlock the value of their extended member network while increasing loyalty and driving deeper engagement.
Commenting on the museum’s success with Cuseum, Associate Director of Membership Nancy Cooper highlighted the cost savings of the Digital Membership program, noting the value that the museum was able to pass on to their members. By offering an affordable membership option of $4 per month, they aim to eliminate barriers to the museum’s extensive collection and most special exhibitions – “Most people can afford the price of a cup of coffee.” Cooper further commented on the success of their launch and rollout, saying “We really focused on providing access to the collection. We worked with marketing to create a really strong program.” Hear more about how they achieved this feat in an exclusive webinar featuring case studies from their own digital membership journey!
With the aim of reflecting the diversity of its communities, the High Museum of Art is committed to offering a variety of exhibitions and educational programs that engage visitors with the world of art, the lives of artists, and the creative process. With the ease and efficiency of its Member Portal, Guest Pass Referrals, Digital Membership Program, the museum is better equipped to fulfill its mission, while saving time and money, and providing more value to its visitors, members and community.
As the 21st century brings new obstacles and opportunities to museums, partnerships have become more important than ever. That's why we at Cuseum are so proud of our collaboration with dozens of leading museums within the Tessitura Network — a partnership which helps cultural institutions reach greater heights in visitor engagement, operational efficacy, and mission fulfillment! Leveraging best-in-class technology grants these organizations a competitive edge; providing them with increased revenue while freeing up time for further progress towards achieving their goals.
To learn how you can turbocharge your membership program with Cuseum, schedule a free demo today!