A bold approach boosts exhibit attendance

In 2015, three U.S. museums were selected to host a prestigious exhibit on the Habsburg Monarchy. Faced with stiff competition from larger markets, one needed a strategy that would make their presentation stand out and attract visitors in droves. They turned to Magid for a solution.

Magid’s approach was to dig deep into what made the Habsburg collection unique. Through focus groups, they discovered that the most intriguing elements were not the grandeur of the monarchy, but rather the collection’s oddities—fascinating, bizarre artifacts that told unexpected stories. Rather than bury these quirks in favor of more traditional narratives, the institute boldly put them front and center in their messaging.

The results were striking. Attendance for the exhibit exceeded that of both the larger markets, defying expectations. By embracing the unconventional, they proved that sometimes, it’s the unexpected that draws the crowd.