July, 2020
Much has happened since the last edition of New England Museums Now, which was published just as the museum field was closing down for the foreseeable future. The economy has cratered. Thousands of our colleagues have lost their jobs; loved ones have lost their lives. And the nation has been convulsed with era-defining protest and counter-protest regarding racial injustice.
While many of us have emerged from our quarantine shelters, re-opening our museums, re-engaging with the world, it all feels somewhat tentative. As the pandemic rages on, we are bracing ourselves for a replay of last March, planning to do it all over again.
Over the past four months I have spent much of my time in conversation with museum people, so I’ve learned firsthand the emotions that have accompanied the crisis. Stress. Exhaustion. Anger. Anxiety. Fear. Doubt. Lack of control. Loneliness. These have caused real pain in the NEMA community and beyond.
Many of my conversations have been with museum directors as they have navigated uncertainty. A few major themes emerged:
- Health/Safety: The most immediate concern of executive directors last March was for the safety and security of their staff and visitors. The decision to close their museums was, according to many, not too difficult once they fully realized the magnitude of the pandemic. They were not willing to risk anyone’s health.
- Human Resources: The shift to working from home was, at least in the beginning, not as challenging as many directors feared. Museum staff quickly rose to the occasion with ideas for virtual programming to engage their audiences and fell into a rhythm using Zoom to stay connected. The bigger challenge for executive directors was determining whether they could weather the storm without staff furloughs or layoffs.
- Economic Survival: Scenario planning occupied the headspace of almost every director I spoke with, as they assessed their cash on hand, liquid investments, and “burn rate” to determine how long they could stay closed without making major adjustments to expenses. Fortunately, almost everyone I spoke to applied for and received federal PPP funding, which provided about two months of cushion. Also, many directors told me that their donors stepped up their giving to help keep staff employed and their boards were supportive by allowing larger than normal draws from endowments and rainy day funds. Unfortunately, that was not enough for some museums, which had to eliminate staff at least temporarily to stay solvent.
- Social Justice: As the wave of protests swept the nation in response to George Floyd’s murder in May, museums quickly responded with statements of support. However, it is clear to many leaders I spoke with that the long-term impact is enormous, requiring museums of every size and type to address their structural bias and systemic racism. Many are embracing the moment and are energized to undertake the work, seeing it as an opportunity to authentically engage their communities toward a common good.
Looking forward, I would have to say most New England museum directors that I’ve contacted are optimistic. Although their time frame is limited to the short or medium term, they seem confident that their institutions will emerge from the crisis successfully. However, most agree that it would be helpful if certain things were added to their “tool kit:”
- More and better data, especially regarding visitor behavior and financial best practices.
- Access to direct operating support, whether from governmental sources, foundations, or donors.
- Better and more consistent public health guidance.
- Affordable access to pandemic-related supplies and PPE.
- Self-care strategies and support for themselves and their staff.
- Resources to help them appropriately support racial justice.
I share their optimism. We all know there are many months ahead of us fraught with difficulty and challenge. But I truly believe museums have the capacity to lead their communities through these times.
Dan Yaeger