Are We Poor?

There is a song we sometimes sing in our exhibition and experience projects:

We’re poor.

Our projects are underfunded.

We don’t have the money those “other” industries have.

We’re always the ones that have to do a lot with a little.

A common refrain. But is it true?

Walmart’s budgets for interiors are a fraction of what museums spend, per square foot. Just imagine a Walmart with a museum-level budget. But their resources are what they need to serve their people.

The budget for a new Apple Store in a mall is higher than Walmart’s, per square foot, but still lower than a big new museum with new exhibitions. Regardless, Apple serves their people well with that budget.

Serving their people is their goal. Building things is only a means to that end.

Are our budgets set to serve our visitors? Or set because that’s what we think museums cost — and making a museum is our only end goal?

Here’s the thing:
Walmart's budgets are small. Apple's are bigger. But museums have the biggest of all three. And we’re the ones who say we're poor.

Are we all sure funding is the issue?

Warmly,
Jonathan