Sara Snyder

Sara Snyder is Director of Digital Programs in the Smithsonian’s Office of Digital Transformation, where she leads priority pan-institutional initiatives and collaborates with museums and research centers across the Smithsonian to support their digital efforts.

She has also led digital and communications teams at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery and at the Archives of American Art.

Sara Snyder  will be speaking at the Museum Marketing Summit 2024 :

Kaleidoscope

In 2023, the Smithsonian Office of Digital Transformation embarked on the Institution’s first-ever pan-institutional initiative focusing on Gen Z. The project, titled “Kaleidoscope,” is an omnichannel marketing campaign and online exhibition that explores the concept of “resilience” from multiple perspectives.

Launched in 2024, this grant-funded initiative was not precisely defined when the project began. The original concept was described as a “tour” featuring stops at 15 Smithsonian units, with a website at its center. After reviewing existing audience research—including their media consumption habits, perceptions of the Smithsonian brand, feelings about the concept of resilience, and approach to engaging with other institutions—the team devised a comprehensive, omnichannel approach united by a cohesive brand identity.

This ongoing campaign—which has reached 2.5M people across Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, the campaign website, physical signage, and over 20 Smithsonian digital properties—explores the resilience of this generation through stories and media from across the Smithsonian’s collections and museums. Topics range from sustainable agriculture to Afrofuturism to LGBTQ+ activism. Kaleidoscope will continue evolving in the coming years, expanding to more stories, channels, and Smithsonian museums.