Digital growth: how the Drents Museum saw opportunities and pioneered 

The power of crisis

The story of the Drents Museum began with a challenge: the coronavirus pandemic. The long-awaited Frida Kahlo exhibition was about to open, but restrictions made a large physical opening impossible. This forced the museum to be creative. ‘We turned it into a hybrid opening,’ says Annelies Meuleman. ‘We recorded the program and streamed it.’ The stream attracted no fewer than 30,000 viewers, a number the museum could never have physically accommodated.  This overwhelming response immediately raised new questions: how many people would still buy a ticket for the exhibition? And how much did the streaming actually cost?  

Search for structure

The realization that digital could deliver more than expected motivated Meuleman to participate in the DEN Leadership Training (opens in new tab). Together with other directors from various cultural organizations, she worked with the DEN Focus Model (opens in new tab), which shows the broad impact of digital developments on various parts of an organization: from programming and audience reach to staff.  The model helped Meuleman organize her thoughts and formulate a strategy (opens in new tab). The training at DEN not only provided theoretical frameworks but also encouraged the exchange of experiences, including both successes and less successful experiments, with other institutions. 

From vision to experience 

The Drents Museum launched a pilot project to develop a digital strategy. With DEN, the organization brought together a cross-section of employees from all departments for two days. The result: a concrete digital strategy, supported by the entire organization.  A great example of the implementation of this strategy is the addition to Labyrinthia, a physical presentation of the Drents Museum's permanent collection. The collection includes multi-sensory and interactive elements to enhance the on-site experience. Additionally, there was a strong ambition to connect the collection to the surrounding environment. ‘The original idea was to focus on physical visits. By also incorporating digital techniques, the project gained more depth, and that connection became stronger,’ says Meuleman. For example, during your museum visit, you can use your phone to see where an object was found and what has happened there over time. If you are physically at that location, you can access even more information digitally or even play a game.

The inspiration came partly from the interactive Moesgaard Museum in Denmark, which achieved enormous visitor growth with a renewed digital concept: from 40,000 to no less than 300,000 visitors. The Drents Museum focused on attracting families with children. This shows that digital development is not just about technology but also about broadening your audience and deepening the experience. 

Measuring is knowing

Digital growth brings new questions, especially in terms of measuring success. While traditional exhibitions are easy to evaluate, for example, based on visitor numbers and press reviews, this can be more challenging for digital projects. How many listeners do you want for your podcast? And how many people do you want to reach with an expensive 360-degree recording?  

This search for the measurability of the effects of digital efforts is an ongoing process. Strategic discussions about revenue models are essential in this regard. The Drents Museum employs a digital products staff member because digital development needs a permanent place within the organization. This role drives the cross-media rollout of projects like Labyrinthia, with videos, podcasts, and interactive elements. 

Digital strategy: the DNA of the future

Meuleman strongly advises developing a digital strategy. ‘Such a strategy (opens in new tab) provides guidance and connects different parts of your organization. You think more carefully about your direction, making digital innovation ultimately part of your DNA.’ The museum also employs a digital products staff member because digital development needs a permanent place within the organization. This role drives the cross-media rollout of projects like Labyrinthia, with videos, podcasts, and interactive elements. 

Meuleman also hopes that digital will eventually become as self-evident at the Drents Museum as the organization's mission and vision. ‘Every decision should automatically raise the question: how can digitization help us reach our audience, enhance the experience, or create a great program? If we develop that sensitivity, I think we will have come a long way.’