A marketing revolution in museums?

Abstract

Traditionally, the purpose of a museum has been to preserve and conserve the collection in its care. Only recently has the notion of service to the public become a critical dimension of a museum's operations. This paper reviews the extent to which marketing has been adopted by museums. It considers the historical legacy which has shaped the current context of museums, and which has consequently formed public attitudes and has inculcated the museum profession's understanding of museums. A review of the museum marketing literature is conducted, and the main issues for the future of marketing in museums are derived. The paper concludes that although there has been a revolution in attitudes to marketing in museums, various factors have inhibited the wholehearted adoption of marketing.