Museums in the 21st Century

Museums in the 21st Century - Amanda Cruz, Executive Director of the Phoenix Art Museum

The Fine Art Museum Of Sedona’s inaugural Speaker Series event kicked off on May 20, 2016, with Amada Cruz, Executive Director of the Phoenix Art Museum, speaking to a sold-out audience. 

Verde Valley community members filled the conference rooms at Sedona Rouge to hear Ms. Cruz talk about “Museums in the 21st Century”. 

She discussed the importance of community engagement, creating distinct programming, and engaging millennials (18-34 years of age) to cultivate long-term support and stewardship of the museum.

As of 2015, millennials are the largest generation, currently surpassing the Boomer generation. Millennials are a highly educated generation who admire authenticity, value social currency, and are notably civic-minded. Ms. Cruz explained how appealing to this generation through the use of social media and technology, original programming, and creating veritable experiences will help this generation bolster museums into the future.

Ms. Cruz also spent time discussing how community involvement with museums is imperative. She explained that engaging visitors and members by creating a sense of ownership through outreach, education, and events would create a sustainable future for museums in the 21st century.