Colleen Dilenschneider

Widely regarded as a leader of the next generation of nonprofit executive management, Colleen Dilenschneider oversees multiple audience engagement initiatives on behalf of clients in the nonprofit and cultural sectors.

Colleen uses data to both identify and predict emerging market opportunities, and helps nonprofit organizations maintain their relevance and secure their long-term financial futures by building affinity with their onsite and virtual audiences.

Colleen has worked with many of the most admired and successful clients in the nonprofit realm, including projects concerning the Monterey Bay Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences, Carnegie Museums, Stanford University, Exploratorium, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Tennessee Aquarium, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), San Diego Zoo, and Wildlife Conservation Society, and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the National Aquarium.

Colleen is the author and publisher of the popular website Know Your Own Bone, a data-informed strategic resource for cultural organizations, and has been a featured expert in sources ranging from NPR’s Marketplace to The Wall Street Journal. She has been prominently featured in many national museum publications, and as required reading for museum studies and professional development programs nationwide.

MuseumNext Growing Audiences Summit
Monday, 9th May 2022

Trust is Trending: Data on the Heightened Reputational Advantages of Museums

It’s no secret: The pandemic has altered how people think and behave throughout the world, including how people consider and relate to museums. While there is no shortage of critical conversation about new challenges faced by these institutions, research suggests that conditions surrounding the pandemic also catalysed meaningful, positive shifts in how museums are perceived by their constituencies. IMPACTS Experience, a leading market research and predictive technology firm, has been tracking these trends as they affect cultural enterprise for nearly two decades.

In this presentation, Colleen Dilenschneider of IMPACTS Experience and author of the popular website Know Your Own Bone, will share research from ongoing studies of perceptions and behaviours concerning museums in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. Though many museums were challenged by reduced attendance during the past two years, their elevated online engagement during this same time stands to pay off: Museums are more trusted throughout the world, believed to be greater assets to their communities, and are increasingly critical sources of information. Museums are popular attractions, but they proved relevance beyond their physical walls during the pandemic. This presentation will share the research trends on changes observed during the past two years and what this suggests for museums as they move forward in expanding audiences.

Full Schedule Here