A crowd of more than 400 attended the first of several town hall meetings at the Taubman Museum of Art. Museum leaders unveiled a number of changes that will take place over the next year.
Museum leaders first acknowledged the museum's struggles. Paul Frantz, the president of the museum's Board of Trustees told the crowd "the financial condition of the museum is what it is. We are in the middle of a serious recession and we don't think it is going to improve anytime soon."
Leaders laid out in great detail the museum's problems. For example, admission projections were way off. 208,347 have visited the museum since it opened two years ago. It was projected admissions would bring in $745,000. Right now, it's only $119,455.
The museum says it needs more of an endowment. The endowment is currently about 2.5 million dollars. The museum's director says it needs to be twenty million in the next ten years.
The museum also needs more members. Right now, there are 2,800. David Mickenberg, the museum's director, says it needs to be at least 6,000. Mickenberg also says corporate fund-raising needs to expand to more than 100.
The museum unveiled a number of changes. They include lowering ticket prices by January, launching a new website for the museum, changing exhibitions more often, collaborating more with regional schools, and relying more on part-time staff.
Leaders says it's all designed to turn the Taubman into an arts center rather than a museum. David Mickenberg told the crowd "it is time to stop looking elsewhere. Forget New York, forget L.A., forget Richmond, let's be Roanoke. Let's figure out together what it is to have a museum in Roanoke.
One thing leaders say it can't change is the controversial design of the museum. Mickenberg told the crowd "as director I can tell you whatever your position is you are absolutely right, let's get over it because it is irrelevant. What is relevant is what happens inside this building."
The museum says it will hold future town hall meetings. Another one will be held in the next four to five months. The public was allowed to offer feedback and suggestions to make the museum better.
One attendee says the museum needs better parking. The museum's director says it will do a better job of telling people where to park in its marketing efforts. David Mickenberg says the museum has had informal talks with Carilion about providing shuttles/trolleys from the hospital to the museum. Mickenberg says the museum is working to coordinate its programs when downtown parking garages are free.
News 7 talked to several people as they left the building. Sandra Collins told News 7 "I was surprised that it seemed they were so open about it. They talked a lot about transparency. I really appreciated hearing that."
