The book "How to Close a Museum: A Practical Guide" provides a comprehensive guide to closing a museum, covering legal, ethical, and operational aspects. It offers valuable forms, creative ideas, and sample documents to save time and includes personal experiences and lessons learned from museum leaders who have gone through similar experiences.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 28 June 2021
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

How to Close a Museum: A Practical Guide provides comprehensive guidance on closing a museum, addressing legal, ethical, and operational considerations. Whether you are facing difficult times or planning for the future, this book offers valuable insights and step-by-step instructions to dissolve the nonprofit corporation, work with the board, disperse assets, create a final staffing plan, manage media relations, preserve archival materials, engage with the community, and handle donor relations to preserve the legacy of the organization. Written by Dr. Susana Bautista, an experienced museum administrator, curator, and museologist, who personally went through the process of closing a museum as the last executive director of the Pasadena Museum of California Art in 2018, the book offers valuable forms, creative ideas, and sample documents to save time. It highlights the experiences and lessons learned by Dr. Bautista and other museum leaders who have gone through similar experiences, providing valuable guidance for all museum professionals.

How to Close a Museum: A Practical Guide

Are you considering closing your museum? Whether you are facing difficult times or planning for the future, How to Close a Museum: A Practical Guide provides comprehensive guidance on all the legal, ethical, and operational questions to start thinking about. Written by Dr. Susana Bautista, an experienced museum administrator, curator, and museologist, who personally went through the process of closing a museum as the last executive director of the Pasadena Museum of California Art in 2018, the book offers valuable insights and step-by-step instructions to dissolve the nonprofit corporation, work with the board, disperse assets, create a final staffing plan, manage media relations, preserve archival materials, engage with the community, and handle donor relations to preserve the legacy of the organization.

Legal Considerations

Closing a museum is a complex legal process that requires careful consideration of various legal issues. The book provides a detailed overview of the legal requirements for closing a museum, including state and federal laws, nonprofit corporation laws, and tax regulations. It explains the process of dissolving the nonprofit corporation, including the steps to file the necessary paperwork with the state and obtain the necessary approvals. It also covers the distribution of assets, including the sale of artwork, equipment, and other assets, and the payment of any outstanding debts or liabilities.

Ethical Considerations

Closing a museum can be a sensitive and emotional process, and it is important to consider ethical considerations throughout the process. The book provides guidance on how to handle donor relations, including communicating with donors about the closure and the disposition of their donations. It also discusses the importance of preserving the legacy of the organization and ensuring that the museum's collections and exhibits are accessible to the public.

Operational Considerations

Closing a museum requires careful planning and execution of operational tasks. The book provides guidance on how to manage media relations, including issuing press releases and responding to media inquiries. It also covers the preservation of archival materials, including digitizing and storing them in a secure location. It also discusses the importance of engaging with the community and providing opportunities for the public to visit the museum before it closes.

Sample Documents

The book includes valuable forms, creative ideas, and sample documents to save time. These forms include the dissolution agreement, the final staffing plan, and the media relations plan. The creative ideas include ways to raise awareness about the closure of the museum and to engage with the community. The sample documents include the final staffing plan, the media relations plan, and the donor relations plan.

Conclusion

Closing a museum is a challenging but necessary process that requires careful consideration of legal, ethical, and operational considerations. How to Close a Museum: A Practical Guide provides comprehensive guidance on all the steps to follow to dissolve the nonprofit corporation, work with the board, disperse assets, create a final staffing plan, manage media relations, preserve archival materials, engage with the community, and handle donor relations to preserve the legacy of the organization. Written by Dr. Susana Bautista, an experienced museum administrator, curator, and museologist, who personally went through the process of closing a museum as the last executive director of the Pasadena Museum of California Art in 2018, the book offers valuable insights and step-by-step instructions to save time and ensure that the closure of the museum is a positive experience for all involved.

Weight: 448g
Dimension: 158 x 237 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538148976