How museums around the world maximize profits: donations

Maximizing your museum’s profits is possible with effective strategies and tools

Imagine a world without museums. Without those places where human history is treasured and shared. It would be an impoverished world, devoid of cultural roots. Indeed, museums are more than just buildings that house historical objects: they are spaces that tell the stories of humanity, linking past and present and offering invaluable education.

However, maintaining and growing these institutions is no easy task. With dwindling financial resources and increasing competition for public funding, museums must find new ways to sustain their mission of preserving cultural heritage and making it accessible to all.

And that’s where donations come in.

The crucial role of donations in museums

For many museums, donations are an essential part of the operating budget. Not only do they provide the resources needed to maintain exhibitions and collections, but they also make it possible to develop new educational programs, restore works of art, and improve infrastructure. For example, a study conducted by the British Museum revealed that donations make up more than 20 percent of the operating budget of many museums in the United Kingdom. However, it is not enough to raise funds: it must be done strategically and purposefully, using advanced technological tools to optimize each contribution.

Consider the case of the Egyptian Museum of Turin. This museum, one of the oldest and most important of its kind in the world, has always relied on government grants and private donations to support its activities. However, with increased competition for public and private funding, the museum has had to innovate its fundraising strategies. By adopting a strategy of digital donations and using online platforms, as in the case of the “Take Care of ME” campaign and the “You&ME” membership, the Egyptian Museum has managed to increase its donations individuals and engage visitors in a more meaningful way. For example, the “You&ME” campaign has helped ensure the museum’s managerial sustainability and raised significant resources for ambitious projects ( source). This success demonstrates the importance of adopting new tools and strategies to remain competitive in a rapidly changing world.

Donations and Crowdfunding: a necessity for sustainability

Direct donations and crowdfunding are now essential tools for the economic sustainability of museums. Crowdfunding, in particular, offers museums an innovative way to raise funds by directly engaging the community and allowing anyone to contribute to the cause. But why are these strategies so important for museums?

1. Community involvement: donations allow museums to directly engage their community, creating a sense of belonging and involvement. When visitors contribute financially, they feel they are part of something bigger. The MoMA in New York City, for example, has seen a 35 percent increase in donations after launching a targeted crowdfunding campaign. This campaign not only raised funds, but also strengthened the bond between the museum and its community, creating a sense of belonging that goes beyond simply visiting the exhibitions.
2. Financial flexibility: donations offer greater financial flexibility than government grants, which are often tied to specific projects. This means that museums can use funds raised through donations to cover a wider range of needs, such as restoring artworks, creating new educational programs or upgrading infrastructure. For example, the National Gallery in London has raised £2 million in donations for artwork restoration through an online campaign. This enabled the museum to undertake a restoration project that would otherwise have been impossible with government funds alone.
3. Innovation: with a secure flow of funds, museums can experiment with new technologies and educational programs. Innovation is key to keeping museums relevant in an ever-changing world. The Louvre has raised over €1 million for develop a new educational app that transformed the visitor experience, making art more accessible and interactive. This app has not only improved the visitor experience, but also attracted a younger, more technologically savvy audience, ensuring that the museum remains relevant for future generations.

Strength in numbers: how much of a difference can donations make in museums?

The numbers don’t lie. In 2022, European museums raised an average of €5 per visitor through donations, with peaks of €10 in the most active museums. These figures clearly show that donations can make a difference. Consider the case of the Natural History Museum in London, which has seen a 70 percent increase in donations by introducing contactless payment. This simple innovation has made it easier for visitors to contribute, leading to a significant increase in donations.

But how can museums maximize this potential?

One of the most effective tools is digital technologies. Through the use of mobile apps, museums can make the donation process easier and more accessible, increasing the likelihood that visitors will decide to contribute. In addition, apps can be used to create targeted donation campaigns that directly engage visitors and motivate them to contribute.

amuseapp: the solution for maximizing your museum’s profits

In a landscape where competition for funds is increasingly fierce, museums need to be proactive and innovative. And that is where amuseapp comes in. amuseapp is a cutting-edge platform designed to enable museums to maximize their fundraising strategies by making donation a simple and accessible process for visitors. But how exactly does amuseapp work and how can it help museums increase their profits?

1. In-app donation management: with amuseapp’s app, visitors can listen to the museum’s audio guide and, at the end of their visit, make a donation directly from their smartphone with a simple tap. This not only makes the process faster and more convenient, but also eliminates barriers that might discourage visitors from contributing.
2. Effective narration: amuseapp’s audio guides turn every visit into an engaging experience that encourages visitors to contribute to the museum’s cause. The narratives are customizable for different target visitors, which allows them to tell the right story to each one. Stories have the power to connect people emotionally, and amuseapp harnesses this power to motivate visitors to donate.
3. Strategic support: amuseapp team supports museums in integrating the solution, ensuring effective and measurable results.

How do donations work with amuseapp?

The donation process is designed to be simple, quick and secure. Here’s how it works:

❇️ STEP 1

The visitor scans the QR code in the museum (perhaps displayed at the ticket counter or museum exit)

❇️ STEP 2

Select “Donate Now,” choose the amount you prefer, and complete the payment through Stripe.

✅ FACT. It only takes exactly 3 clicks. Not one more. The process takes less than 60 seconds and is optimized and designed for every type of visitor, from the digital native to the more traditional tourist.

How to implement donation and crowdfunding strategies in your museum

Implementing donation and crowdfunding strategies in your museum may seem like a daunting task, but with the right resources and a well-defined plan, significant results can be achieved. To develop a successful strategy, museums must:

1. Identify the objectives: Before launching a donation or crowdfunding campaign, it is crucial to clearly identify the goals. What does the museum hope to achieve with this campaign? What are the immediate and long-term financial needs? Defining clear and measurable goals is the first step to a successful campaign.
2. Getting to know the audience: understanding who your museum visitors are is essential to creating an effective donation or crowdfunding campaign. What is the demographic profile of visitors? What motivates them to donate? What are their interests and passions? Answering these questions allows you to tailor your campaign message, making it more relevant and persuasive to your target audience.

1. Creating an engaging narrative: People donate not only to support a cause, but also to feel part of a larger story. Creating an engaging narrative that tells the museum’s mission, the importance of its collections, and the impact of donations can make all the difference. This narrative must be authentic, exciting, and able to touch the emotional chords of potential donors.

1. Leveraging digital channels: In an increasingly digital age, it is critical to take full advantage of the potential offered by online platforms to promote and manage donation and crowdfunding campaigns. Social media, email, websites, and mobile apps are powerful tools for reaching a wide audience and creating a sense of urgency around the campaign. amuseapp, for example, not only facilitates donations directly from visitors’ phones, but also allows the campaign to be integrated with social media, increasing visibility and participation. In addition, the platform offers detailed reports that help museums monitor the success of the campaign and make adjustments in real time.

1. Offer incentives to donors: An effective way to incentivize donations is to offer something in return. Whether it is exclusive access to special events, behind-the-scenes tours, or even a special mention in the museum, incentives can motivate potential donors to contribute. It is important, however, that these incentives are well thought out and relevant to the target audience.

1. Communicating the results: After the campaign ends, it is crucial to communicate to donors the impact of their contributions. This not only makes them feel appreciated, but also motivates them to donate again in the future. Providing regular updates on the progress of funded projects and showing how donations were used strengthens transparency and trust between the museum and its supporters.

amuseapp can help you with all of this. Book a call with the team and learn how to implement donation and crowdfunding strategies in your museum.

Conclusion: the future of museum donations

The future of museums depends on their ability to adapt and innovate.

With tools like amuseapp, museums now have the ability to turn every visit into a fundraising opportunity, making donation an integrated and engaging experience. But it’s not just about technology: the key to success is a well-planned strategy that combines storytelling, community engagement and smart use of digital resources.

The world of museums is changing, and with it, so are the strategies for securing their future. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this transformation.

Now is the time for action

If you are a museum director or fundraising manager, now is the time to act. Book a call with the amuseapp team to find out how this platform can help you maximize your museum’s profits through donations and crowdfunding. With amuseapp‘s support, your museum will not only be able to raise more funds, but it will be able to do so in a more efficient, engaging, and sustainable way.