Five Plus One = Fun (Strategic Plan 2022-24)

ART • HISTORY • SCIENCE • SEUSS IN SPRINGFIELD

5 M U SEU M S AN D 1 SCU LPTU R E GAR DEN

Strategic Plan • 2022-2024

The Springfield Museums have been an impactful space for more than 160 years.

Philanthropy, generosity, and the desire to share beauty, ideas, and companionship have fortified the Museums, establishing the Quadrangle campus as a safe space to enjoy time together, to socialize, learn, play, and quietly contemplate.

As a tourist attraction, cultural anchor, and hub of literacy and STEM and STEAM learning, the Museums have a significant impact on the economy, social connection, and learning.

In 2021, the Museums embarked on a strategic planning process to help ensure that we continue to offer our audiences what they want and what they need. Ongoing relevance is vital to the longevity of this institution.

This booklet outlines our new strategic plan with four overarching goals that will help the Museums build a Comprehensive Plan. This plan will guide our decisions and ensure a relevant, sustainable institution that is responsive to contemporary hopes and needs.

Importantly, the Museums have

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embarked on a new branding initiative to emphasize that we are five dynamic,

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created a new collections policy which emphasizes artists of color and the stories

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augmented our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility initiatives across all

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engaged with community and identity-based advisory groups to help ensure

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cultural competence as well as relevance; expanded our development team and our financial practices to help ensure financial sustainability.

innovative museums plus one remarkable sculpture garden: 5 + 1 = FUN; of contemporary Springfield; aspects of the Museums;

Significantly, and perhaps uniquely, we have added “literacy” to our mission. The idea of literacy—mastering the building blocks for an expanded understanding of any given topic—is helping our Staff create exhibits and programs with interactive elements that increase skills while having fun.

Thank you for looking together with the Museums at this strategic plan and helping us move the Museums forward for the benefit of all.

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Goal 1

Internal Excellence and Alignment

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Goal 2

Economic Sustainability & Financial Relationship Building

Goal 3 Financial Planning

Invest in inclusive, immersive, accessible design in all aspects of the Museums in partnership with community advisory groups Invest in updating all Museums: Immersive, hands-on, accessible, refreshed Invest in Staff: raising compensation levels and increasing professional development Cross-functional teams to integrate the entire museum system to unified goals

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Enable the goals of the Museums through financial investment Grow the Development Office Grow and nurture the relationships that will financially augment the Museums

Invest in the current infrastructure of the Museums Leverage the current resources to meet the goals of Internal Excellence Hone the financial plans to prioritize visitor-centric, inclusive, accessible Museums and Staff

Goal 4 Inclusive, Accessible, Relevant Museums

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Rebranding the Museums to reflect dynamic, interactive, accessible experiences Building toward a Comprehensive Plan Cross-departmental teams Community engagement through advisory groups

Comprehensive Plan for Ongoing Relevance

OUR MISSION The Springfield Museums uses art, history, science and Dr. Seuss to explore our shared connections and unique perspectives to promote engagement, literacy and learning.

OUR VISION Springfield Museums will be a leading cultural attraction with local and global appeal that draws audiences together in multi-generational learning. We will be known for inclusion, innovation and inter-disciplinary collaboration. As an anchor for our community, the Museums will advance knowledge by engaging diverse voices and perspectives.

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES Springfield Museums promotes a boundless experience – we engage, inspire, connect and serve.

We focus on creating people-centric experiences while respecting individuals from all backgrounds, identities and diverse life experiences.

We embrace our roles of communicator, collaborator, convener and connector by sharing stories of individuals and communities past and present.

We inspire creativity, experimentation and empathy with offerings that strengthen life-long learning informed by experiential and informal education.

We strive to be a resilient organization by building talent, capacity and accountability in all areas of management and operations.

We are committed to partnering with Springfield to support our vibrant, culturally significant home that attracts and retains visitors, residents, businesses and educational organizations.

We ensure that inclusion, equity, and access are represented in our collections, exhibitions and educational programs and among the board, staff and volunteers.

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