Marketing teams at museums around the country are facing a major obstacle — how to drive millennials through their gates. Millennials are accustomed to a fast pace and nearly constant entertainment, which is not the model for most traditional museums.

You may want to dismiss the millennials as an audience, but it’s important for museums and cultural attractions to think about the future. Who will your attendees be? Your board members? Your donors? Who will bring their families through your doors ten years from now? Museum leadership needs to examine new ways to appeal to this group. We can start the process by asking: what are some good examples of museum programs to attract millennials?

Here Are 5 Museums with Successful Programs and Events Targeted Directly at Millennials

1. Whitney Museum of American Art — Annual Art Party. The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City had a guest list specifically designed to attract millennials at this year’s Art Party. Celebrity guests included (rapper) Common, (super model) Karlie Kloss, and (fashion designer) Brandon Maxwell. Famous DJs, food, drink, and a red-carpet-style photoshoot for all who attended ensured that there was a line of millennials out the door. The group raised a large amount of money ($500 per ticket) to benefit the museum’s educational programs.
2. Art Institute of Chicago — Re-Creation of Van Gogh Room. Millennials value the experiential aspect of travel and leisure over anything else. The Art Institute of Chicago capitalized on that by partnering with Airbnb and Ravenswood Studio. Together, they created a real room identical to the famous painting “Van Gogh’s Bedroom,” listed for rent at $10/night and advertised on posters at train stations. When respondents texted a certain number, they heard replies back from “Van Gogh,” and all vacancies were filled within minutes. The stunt generated highly effective press coverage, and the Art Institute had its biggest opening weekend ever.
3. Boston Museum of Science — Free College Night. You don’t have to spend an exorbitant amount of money on huge parties and PR stunts to draw millennials to your museum. You may just need to open your arms a little wider to universities. The Boston Museum of Science did exactly that with an after-hours event opened solely to university students. While the museum charged for certain shows, including their unique, entertainment-focused SubSpace project, a college ID got you free general admission and a night of de-stressing.
4. Morris Museum — Student Art Exhibit. Free admission isn’t the only way to draw college kids. The Morris Museum in New Jersey is using its walls to display the art of students at local universities. The idea is to show art students and their friends that they support the community. In some ways it is better than a glitzy and glamorous marketing tactic because it develops more meaningful relationships between the museum and the students. And it’s a manageable approach for smaller-scale museums who don’t have the budgets of big city cultural attractions.
5. Augusta Museum of History — Historic Beer Tasting. Nothing goes better with history than a nice cold brew, especially one re-created from a 146-year-old recipe. This one was found in a cookbook from a collection at the Augusta Museum of History. The museum teamed up with a local brewery to re-create the recipe, turning the museum into a pub for an evening dubbed “Southern Suds.” Guests learned about food pairings and home brewing tips, played games like Jenga and cornhole, and even posed for “1800 selfies” to share with friends.

It doesn’t matter how large you are or how big your budget is. You can alter the perception of both your museum and museums in general to this audience. They already have money to spend and are poised to help you shape the future of your institution. All you have to do is figure out the best way for your brand to embrace them.