ABSTRACT
When the MuseumNext conference met in London in June 2019, the theme of the meeting was ‘change’. Change is the defining feature of the environment in which museums are currently operating, creating challenges for institutions and their leaders alike. This is recognised in studies which have addressed the subject of museums and their leadership in today's volatile world. One such report, undertaken for the National Museum Directors' Council in the UK, found that museums are operating in an environment of multiple challenges including decreases in public funding, changes to audience expectations and the impact of political and social issues beyond museums' control.
… operating in an increasingly complex environment, shaped by constraints to the traditional funding model, changing audience expectations, new technologies, and a variety of political and societal trends that affect the sector directly or indirectly.
Within this context, the evolving role of museum leadership has been the subject of increased attention. This chapter examines the implications for leadership as a consequence of the environment within which museums are operating. It surveys studies conducted prior to, during and post-pandemic where expectations of museums and their leadership are the subject of research from the perspective of both the public and museum leaders themselves. The chapter ends with reflections on the future of museums and their leadership in the post-pandemic era.
