Future Museum, the joint research project of Fraunhofer IAO and MUSEUM BOOSTER, aims at assisting museums in applying cutting-edge know-how in their strategic planning and to create a network of museum leaders, public authorities, donors and suppliers for the exchange of ideas and collaboration.

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Primary Research Questions

  • 1
    How can museums be better linked to other touristic and/or city infrastructure stakeholders?
  • 2
    How can museums reach new target markets? How to attract repeat/regular visitors? How to generally attract more visitors?
  • 3
    How can museums become better storytellers?
  • 4
    How to communicate with visitors before, during and after the museum visit?
  • 5
    Which digital strategies make sense in a museum and how can they enhance analogue formats?
  • 6
    How can dynamic pricing, revenue & yield management be used in museums?
  • 7
    At which stage of the visitor journey can visitor data be collected and used in a meaningful way?
  • 8
    Which ideas and tools are available for effective museum management?
  • 9
    How should architecture & design of museums reflect shifting expectations by visitors?
  • 10
    What are the ideas for new exhibition design & new exhibition formats?
  • 11
    How can augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), electronic displays and projections enhance the visitor experience in new ways?
  • 12
    Which methods work best for ticketing & access control?

Research Steps

The research will be launched in Decemeber 2019 and will last until November 2021, unless prolonged. In the course of these two years, the concept for the Future Museum Lab will be elaborated.

  • 01
  • 02
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  • Preparation for launch
    January - June 2019
  • Identifying challenges

    R&D: Museum challenges today

    R&D: Areas for improvement in museums and cooperation with adjacent sectors

    Network: Establishing an ecosystem of museums, suppliers, research institutes, donors and public authorities

  • Evaluating solutions

    R&D: Possible technological and organisational solutions today & tomorrow

    R&D: Future Museum Index, a self-assessment tool for museums to identify their readiness for the future

    Network: Museum innovation workshops & meetings

  • Planning the future

    R&D: Possible scenarios of a museum of the future

    Network: Museum innovation workshops & meetings