What if you were to focus an exhibition on a topic that would be familiar to/speak directly to the senior demographic? For example, physical effects wrought on military troops of WWII from involvement in the war, or diseases/sicknesses popular during that era that had visible physical characteristics that are little seen today, etc? It is a great museum and I think if you could just cater an exhibition that addresses little known physical health issues that many seniors experienced collaboratively from a direct cultural effect, you would not only be drawing them in, but drawing them together in a cultural facet. Market to senior tour groups, for example, and locals would be engaged if you were able to correlate with a historical aspect of Philadelphia Jennifer On 8/6/07, Micki Ryan <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Laurel, > > My experience is that a blanket marketing campaign to attract a specific > audience doesn't really work very well. It may produce a tour arranged by > organizers who are always looking for someplace new to bring a bus tour, but > if you want the seniors to stay involved with your museum you need a more > personal approach. Hope I'm not being naïve, but from the name of your > organization I assume you are a medical museum? If so, have you spent some > time involving individual retired physicians and nurses in the > interpretation and education programs? Through them, you could target > smaller organizations or groups in which they circulate, and specific > publications, newsletters, etc. that they receive and read themselves. Very > shortly you would have a strong advocacy group who would promote programs at > your museum among their peers. > > > > For a current program at our museum, I did do a presentation at the local > senior center, but found that my best rate of direct participation came > through a personal follow-up (by me) AND nurturing by another senior. Once > they come to participate in a program, they are very enthusiastic > ambassadors! > > > > Also, I have found that if we don't offer a senior discount we are out of > the running. I have also learned that opening the museum to tours arranged > by others led to a nearly 100% no-show or cancellation rate. From this point > forward, I will require a pre-payment, and if we lose the tour because of > that so be it—history shows that odds are they would be no-shows anyway. > > > > > > Micki Ryan, Director > > Orcas Island Historical Museum > > [log in to unmask] > > PO Box 134 > > Eastsound WA 98245 > > 360 376 4849 > > www.orcasmuseum.org > > > > > > > > *From:* Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On > Behalf Of *Laurel Weller > *Sent:* Monday, August 06, 2007 9:39 AM > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Attracting older audiences > > > > Hello all, > > Unlike most museums, the Mütter Museum attracts primarily younger > audiences (under 35) – I have been challenged with increasing our numbers in > the seniors demographic. Does anyone have experience marketing to this > group? Do you have any strategies that worked for you? Is there a resource > web site or publication for retirement community activity directors with > whom we could list ourselves? Any suggestions would be appreciated. > > Thank you! > > > > ------------------------------ > Laurel K. Weller > Museum Educator > Mütter Museum > The College of Physicians of Philadelphia > Phone: 215-563-3737 x203 > E-Mail: [log in to unmask] > > > > > > ========================================================= Important > Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at > http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed > information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message > to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read > "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read > "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). > ========================================================= Important > Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at > http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed > information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message > to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read > "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read > "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). > > ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).