The Newseum has been one of my favorite places in DC to visit since it was still in Rosslyn. After its move into DC, I’ve made a point to visit every time I can. I was truly sad to learn of the institution’s uncertain future, but I cannot say that I’m incredibly surprised. Any museum that charges an entrance fee in the city known for its free museums is going to have trouble getting enough visitors through the door. The fact that the attendance skyrockets on Museum Day, when there is no fee, seems to suggest that it is not for lack of interest that the Newseum can’t make money.
During our discussion with Matt Leifer, Patty Rhule, and the other staff at the Newseum, I really appreciated that someone asked them if they had any lessons to share from the experience of watching their museum struggle and close. I think the answers we got were honest and intelligent: know your audience, know your strengths, and know your ability to cater to your community. It seemed to me that the staff blamed, albeit gently, the initial decision to charge admission and then the continued spending that necessitated increasing the ticket prices.
One wonderful part of the visit was finding a pink “pussy” hat in a more recent exhibit featuring new protest movements. Other objects around it included a sign from “March For Our Lives” and a Black Lives Matter t-shirt. It was interesting to me that the Newseum label describes the hat as a “pink hat,” rather than a “pussy hat,” which I think it the more widely used descriptor. Group 1 will be examining this decision a bit as we put together our project.
The Museum Kat 