Identity Crisis: Is Change Always a Good Thing?

Museum Matters: After reading some literature about the importance of mission statements for museums, I got the impression that if a museum isn’t working well, its mission might have something to do with it. Many of the mission statements of old were long, rambling things, both very specific and hopelessly generic at the same time. People are right to recommend taking a look at the mission every five years or so, not only to use it as the foundation for strategic planning but to determine whether it should be tweaked, or possibly rewritten altogether. Your museum’s audience may have shifted since the 1930s, technology may have opened up new possibilities, or potential donors may have complained about ambiguity or antiquated notions.