The past year and a half have been intense and memorable. I hope you and your loved ones have come through it safely and are doing well.
THEMUSEUM was quick to adapt once we shut down last spring. I viewed decisions through three filters:
- Service to our Members and community
- The well-being and mental health of our team
- Our financial bottom line
Our fiscal year ended June 30, and I am pleased that we are showing a modest profit.
We managed expenses well, invested in D2L’s learning platform Brightspace to deliver curriculum, created online programs for all ages, and went offsite offering the Dinosaur Drive-Thru! We learned a lot, and as we look to the future, I know we will emerge stronger.
We are currently open 10AM – 4PM Tuesday through Saturday and are focused on safety for all. Our guests have responded well to our reduced capacity and timed entry, filling the time slots most days.
I am focused long-term on expanding into the former BMO building in order to grow with the community. There are four priorities to our expansion:
- Permanent themed family experience – which we will seek your input on
- Dedicated theatre space – for simultaneous and thematically connected activities to our exhibitions
- Enhanced food, beverage and merchandise – to support our bottom line and for the convenience of our Members and guests
- 14,000 ft2 of exhibition swing space, this will allow us to load exhibitions in while remaining open for you and your family
For a decade, we have worked with numerous consultants, architects, fundraising experts, etc., as a means to determine the best path forward. I hope to share news of our plans early in 2022.
A key priority is additional exhibition space. On average, we close 42 days a year for the changeover of exhibitions. 42 days of no revenue while supporting our team and paying our bills. This November we will host the exclusive Canadian date of The Rolling Stones | UNZIPPED - a reference to the album cover created by Andy Warhol – which will fill our building. This is a huge opportunity to put THEMUSEUM, Kitchener, and the Region on a much larger cultural map as we draw guests from Detroit to Quebec City and Ottawa to Buffalo and Toronto. It will help reboot the local economy and specifically the hospitality sector.
The need for additional space and bringing large world-class exhibitions creates tension. While we will continue to Awe, Inspire & Enlighten, it means we will not be able to be THEMUSEUM you have come to enjoy.
As a result of the size of The Rolling Stones | UNZIPPED exhibition, THEMUSEUM wants you to be aware that starting at the end of September our building will close in order to turn into Rolling Stones Central from November 30, 2021 to February 27, 2022. During The Rolling Stones | UNZIPPED, our public programming will pause so that we can concentrate on this major reboot to our tourism economy.
I appreciate your understanding and, as always, am happy to respond to any questions or concerns. You can reach me at David.Marskell@THEMUSEUM.ca.
David Marskell
CEO